Adoption Study: Heston Flashcards
What is the aim of Heston?
-See how many adopted children of bio mothers with SZ would go onto develop SZ themselves
Background info
-Research from twin studies in 60s suggested SZ partly genetic
-Incidence in the population was 1% so if not genetic then expect non or 1 to have it if mother had but if it is genetic then expect 10% to.
Sample
-Born between 1915 and 1945 to mothers with SZ
-Confind in Oregon state psych hospital
-adopted at birth bc of mothers condition
-no fathers known to be hospital patients
-50, matched whose mothers were healthy. Control matched for sex, type of placement (adopt, foster) length of time in care
-final groups due to death or lost to follow up: control 33 male and 17 female. Experimental: 30 male and 17 female
Procedure
-contacted by letter, asked to take part in interview
-standardised but promising leads followed
-structured as gen medical questionnaire
-interviewed to see if developed SZ
-done in the homes of the subjects
-short form of MMPI given after the interview. Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory
How was data gathered/reviewed?
-Interview and MMPI
-2 evaluative measures. Numerical score moving from 100 to 0 with inc psychosocial disability assigned for each subject. Scoring based on interview and the marks of the MHSRS
-info was evaluated blindly and independently by 2 psychiatrists, final evaluation made by 3rd
What were the control group used for?
-Eliminate the possibility that adoption could be responsible for SZ
Results
-of 47 adults interviewed whose M had SZ 5 had been hospitalised with SZ, 3 chronically ill
-so 10% of the adopted children with SZ mothers developed SZ: number we would expect had they been brought up by biological mother
-none of Control developed SZ - adoption not a factor in SZ
-as well as opinion of 3 raters, all subjects similarly diagnosed in psych hospital. 1 female and 4 males SZ. 3 chronic and hospital for several years, 2 hosp and taking anti psychs
-sig excess of psycho-social disability in one half of persons born to SZ mothers
Conclusion
-Evidence for the role of genes in SZ
Gen
-biased sample, volunteer. May be more motivated, may have shard characteristics so wouldn’t rep the target population
Reliability
-good inter-rater: MHSRS reliable as a measure of degree of incapacity. Good agreement between raters, if disagree then 4th would be asked, blind researchers. Research bias eliminated, subjectivity decrease but also consistent results
-standardised: interviews had standardised questions. Consistent questioning, can be repeated
Applications
Can help predict if a child with get SZ. 10% of those with SZ mothers went on to develop SZ themselves. Use to predict if adopted children will develop SZ based on genes and regular check up to help reduce
Validity
-Control over ppt variables: matched pairs, ppts in control and exp matched on sex, type of placement and length of time in care. More meaningful comparisons, results not due to the indiv diffs
-Triangulation of data: qualitative and from interview (medical and environmental questionnaire) and MMPI given after. Inc validity as can compare and falsify
-social desirability: self report data, interviews and questionnaires. Questions abt medical and environmental factors. Ppts may report what they think the researcher wants to hear or may not be truthful to make themselves seem better
Ethics
-questionable: nature of the research abt whether developed SZ and whether this links to their mothers having SZ is highly socially sensitive. May have been distressing, however does provide good and useful apps to society so in the public benefit: cost benefit analysis.
