Toward an integration of social and biological research

Accumulating evidence about the effects of genetics on mental disorders has given rise to calls to incorporate knowledge of gene-environment interactions into social work teaching, research, and practice. Social workers must become aware of the interplay between genes and environments in order to optimize research, prevention, and treatment. This article presents three conceptual frameworks for integrating genetic and environmental evidence and for organizing knowledge from once-distinct disciplines into a unified framework. Recent evidence for gene-environment interactions is presented to demonstrate the importance of integrating knowledge across disciplinary boundaries.