Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP): A new model for describing mental health problems
Abstract
Current classification systems for mental disorders such as the DSM-5 and the ICD-11 are increasingly being criticized for not adequately reflecting the complexity of mental health problems. Particularly problematic are the implicit orientation toward the medical disease model, the suboptimal assignment of symptoms to diagnoses, and the categorical distinction from mental health. In response to these challenges, a Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) has been under development within a consortium for several years—an empirically based, hierarchically organized, and dimensional model for describing mental health problems. In this article, the HiTOP model is made comprehensively accessible to the German-speaking public for the first time. After criticizing established classification systems, we first explain the basic methodological principles and present the current HiTOP model. We then report on new studies and considerations regarding the validation and further development of the model and explain how the HiTOP dimensions can be assessed in diagnostic practice. In the discussion, we clarify links to alternative approaches to the conceptualization of mental disorders, elaborate the implications of the HiTOP approach for future research and practice, and address research gaps and limitations.
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BibTeX
@misc{zimmermann2026hierarchical,
title = {{Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP): A new model for describing mental health problems}},
author = {Johannes Zimmermann and Michael Witthöft and David C Cicero and Miriam K. Forbes and Chris Hopwood and Roman Kotov and Robert Krueger and Martin Sellbom and Leonard Simms and Aidan G.C. Wright},
howpublished = {PsyArXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.31234/osf.io/kp8yx_v2},
url = {https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/kp8yx_v2/},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP): A new model for describing mental health problems
AU - Johannes Zimmermann
AU - Michael Witthöft
AU - David C Cicero
AU - Miriam K. Forbes
AU - Chris Hopwood
AU - Roman Kotov
AU - Robert Krueger
AU - Martin Sellbom
AU - Leonard Simms
AU - Aidan G.C. Wright
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
PB - PsyArXiv
DO - 10.31234/osf.io/kp8yx_v2
UR - https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/kp8yx_v2/
AB - Current classification systems for mental disorders such as the DSM-5 and the ICD-11 are increasingly being criticized for not adequately reflecting the complexity of mental health problems. Particularly problematic are the implicit orientation toward the medical disease model, the suboptimal assignment of symptoms to diagnoses, and the categorical distinction from mental health. In response to these challenges, a Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) has been under development within a consortium for several years—an empirically based, hierarchically organized, and dimensional model for describing mental health problems. In this article, the HiTOP model is made comprehensively accessible to the German-speaking public for the first time. After criticizing established classification systems, we first explain the basic methodological principles and present the current HiTOP model. We then report on new studies and considerations regarding the validation and further development of the model and explain how the HiTOP dimensions can be assessed in diagnostic practice. In the discussion, we clarify links to alternative approaches to the conceptualization of mental disorders, elaborate the implications of the HiTOP approach for future research and practice, and address research gaps and limitations.
ER -