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IB Psychology 3.1.17
➢Turn in:
➢ Nothing
➢Take out:
➢Notes, notes, notes
➢Today’s Learning
Objectives:
 Discuss validity and reliability of
diagnosis
Today’s Agenda:
➢ Abnormal Intro Cont.
➢ Form Groups
HW:
➢ CRA 5.1-5.2 (148-152)
How can one tell if another
is sane or insane?
Classification
 Aims of diagnostic classification




describe the disorder
predict its future course
imply appropriate treatment
stimulate research
 DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders)…now 5
 APA’s manual for classification of psychological
disorders
 the manual brings consistency
 criticisms exist
Diagnosis
 Formal standardized
critical interview
 Clinician evaluates the
patient’s responses
 Direct observation
 Brain-scanning
 Testing (personality
tests, for example)
ABCS
(used to describe symptoms)
 Affective symptoms: emotional elements
 Behavioral symptoms: observational
behaviors
 Cognitive symptoms: ways of thinking
 Somatic symptoms: physical symptoms
Validity and Reliability of
Diagnosis
 Classification system
 Can clinicians arrive at the same diagnosis?
 The system is descriptive
 David Rosenhan study (1973)
 Lipton and Simon (1985)
Rosenhan (1973)
On being sane in insane places
Aim:
 To test reliability and
validity of diagnosis in a
natural setting.
Rosenhan wanted to see
if psychiatrists could
distinguish between
“abnormal” and
“normal” behavior.
Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis
Rosenhan (1973)
Procedure:
 This was a covert
participant observation
with eight participants
consisting of five men
and three women
(including Rosenhan
himself).
 Their task was to follow
the same instructions
and present themselves
in 12 psychiatric
hospitals in the USA.
Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis
Rosenhan (1973)
Results:
 All participants were
admitted to various
psychiatric wards and all
but one were diagnosed
with schizophrenia.
 The last one was
diagnosed with manic
depression.
Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis
Rosenhan (1973)
 All pseudo-patients
behaved normally
while they were
hospitalized because
they were told that
they would only get
out if the staff
perceived them to be
well enough.
Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis
Rosenhan (1973)
 The pseudo-patients
took notes when they
were hospitalized but
this was interpreted as
a symptom of their
illness by the staff.
 It took between 7 to 52
days before the
participants were
released.
Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis
Rosenhan (1973)
 They came out with a
diagnosis
(schizophrenia in
remission) so they
were “labeled”.
Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis
Rosenhan (1973)
Follow Up
 A follow-up study was
done later where the
staff at a specific
psychiatric hospital were
told that impostors
would present
themselves at the
hospital and that they
should try to rate each
patient whether he or
she was an impostor.
Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis
Rosenhan (1973)
Follow Up
Of the 193 patients:
 41 were clearly identified
as impostors by at least
one member of the staff
 23 were suspected to be
impostors by one
psychiatrist
 19 were suspected by one
psychiatrist and one staff
member.
Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis
Rosenhan (1973)
Follow Up
There were no
impostors.
Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis
Influences on diagnosing
 Attitudes and prejudice of psychiatrist
 Expectations that certain groups/gender are
prone to depression therefore you interpret
as depression.
 Overpathologization – the excessive use of
applying expectations/stereotyping to create
a diagnosis.
Influences on diagnosing