A Conceptual Framework for Working Relationships Among Disciplines and the Place of Interdisciplinary Education and Practice:

Abstract

The "inerdisciplinary" concept is unclear and unstudied. This article proposes a conceptual framework for models of working relationships among disciplines and contrasts the interdisciplinary model with others. Disciplines are defined as professios or range from unique through working to rudimentary. Working relationships include: Unidisciplinary (no knowledge of other disciplines), Paradisciplinary (knowledge of other disciplines, roles are segregated), Multidisciplinary (coordinating practice, roles are segregated), Interdisciplinary (overlapping, flexible roles), and Pandisciplinary (comprehensive competence). Interdisciplinary work recognizes that competences overlap, and interrelates disciplines to meet multifactorial needs. Interdisciplinary collaboration requires knowledge of other disciplines, role flexibility, evolution of practice and identity, and disciplinary interchange. Interdisciplinary benefits are broad resources, creativity, collaboration, and professional enrichment; costs are time, energy, resources, and changing methods, institutions, and self. The interdisciplinary model should be applied appropriately.