Hybrid research models: Natural opportunities for examining mental health in context

The articles in this series promote hybrid research models to bridge the gap between efficacy and effectiveness. We suggest that efforts such as those described in these articles are long overdue. Given the enormous public health consequences of the lack of available and effective mental health services, we no longer can afford research that neglects the natural state of affairs or that leaves others to translate research into practice. It is time to acknowledge that the process of testing interventions in the university for transfer to the community is neither efficient nor empirically justified. Guided by the articles in this series, we focus on the ways in which hybrid models can provide natural opportunities to advance the field and lead to a new generation of research that is both contextually relevant and methodologically rigorous. An iterative process of research and practice is proposed that can lead to stronger theories and methods and enhanced understanding of mental health in context.