Abnormal Psychology LAQs

1. Discuss validity and reliability of diagnosis.

Paragraph 1 (Introduction): ● Classification system is said to be reliable when it is possible for 4 different clinicians, using the same system, to arrive at same diagnosis for same individual ● Examples: DSM-4, CCMD, ICD-10 ● Though diagnosis systems use more standardized assessment techniques and more specific diagnostic criteria than in the past, classification system is far from perfect ● Classification system said to be valid when it is able to classify a real pattern of symptoms, which can lead to an effective treatment ● However, problem with this is that the classification system is descriptive and doesn’t identify any specific causes for disorders

Paragraph 2 (Study 1):
Sane or Insane-Rosenhan (1973)
Aim: test reliability of psychiatric diagnosis
Procedure: field experiment
Part 1 ● 8 healthy people (5 men, 3 women) gained admission to 12 different psychiatric hospitals ● Complained of hearing unclear, unfamiliar voices of same sex repeating words “thud” and “empty” ● Participants said they felt fine after admission to hospital (no more symptoms)
Part 2 ● Rosenhan told staff at psychiatric hospital that pseudopatients will try to get admitted ● No pseudopatients were actually sent

Results:
Part 1 ● 7 diagnosed with schizophrenia ● Took average 19 days for discharge and were classified as “schizophrenia in remission” (possibility of symptoms coming back) upon discharge
Part 2 ● 41 real patients were judged to be pseudopatients with confidence by at least 1 member of staff ● 19 were suspected to be frauds by 1 psychiatrist and 1 member of staff

Conclusion: ● Not possible to distinguish sane from insane in psychiatric hospitals ● Demonstrated lack of scientific evidence on