Psychopathology CH 2

research in psychopathology

3 methods of investigation

case study, correlational method, and experimental methods

case study

detailed, interpretative description of a person’s life and psychological problems. source of ideas about behaviors and theories, and opportunities to study unusual problems. has low internal validity (subjective ev) and low external validity (low generalization)

correlational method

research procedure used to determine how events or characteristics vary with each other. the participants are called a sample and it must be representative of the larger population. to describe, it can be graphed as a line if best fit (positive or negative correlation or unrelated). has high generalizability and can repeat studies. they describe but do not explain a cause.

magnitude

strength of a correlation coefficient denoted as r. high magnitudes closer to +1 or -1, weaker magnitudes closer to 0

statistical significanceclinical significance

the finding is unlikely to have occurred by chance. usually accept less than a 5% probability that findings are due to chance

clinical significance

would the difference make a change/impact in someones life

experimental method

uses independent and dependent variables, and random assignment

random assignment

selection procedure that ensures that every participant is as likely to be placed in one group as another group

randomized clinical trials

randomized controlled trials are the best way to study the safety and efficacy of new treatments. they are used to answer patient-related questions and are required by governmental regulatory bodies. the therapies are called evidence-based or research-supported therapies

single case experiments

a single participant is observed before and after manipulation of the independent variable.they rely on baseline data to set a standard for comparison. ABAB design common in autism treatments

epidemiological studies

reveal the incidence and prevalence of a disorder in a particular population

incidence

number of new cases

prevalence

total number of cases in a year or lifetime

qualitative methods

natural and unfiltered research methods intended to seek out each participant’s direct perspective—gathering information that is offered in the participant’s own words

mixed-methods designs

provide a practical solution that combines, or mixes, both qualitative and quantitative approaches within the same research project. qualitative methods are used to help generate new hypotheses, whereas quantitative methods are used to test hypotheses

institutional review board (IRB)

ethics committee in a research facility empowered to protect the rights and safety of human research participants. they ensure participants enlist voluntarily, are informed with consent, the benefits outweigh costs/risks, and they can end participation at any time