Brown et al (1986) and Interviews

Question 1

What is an interview?

Answer 1

It involves verbal questioning of patients to gather information from them

Question 2

What is a structured interview?

Answer 2

Where only questions prepared in advance are asked and these are not diverted from

Question 3

What is a semi structured interview?

Answer 3

Some questions are prepared in advance while others are asked due to the flow of the conversation

Question 4

What is an unstructured interview?

Answer 4

They have no prepared questions, just a topic and they ask questions based on responses

Question 5

What are the interview steps?

Answer 5

1. Establish rapport
2. Describe project and code of ethics
3. Get consent, show schedule
4. Conduct interview
5. End interview, debrief
6. Take note

Question 6

What were the aims of the study?

Answer 6

• Whether crisis support affects the onset of depression, even if low self esteem
• Whether a lack of support and low self esteem are vulnerability factors
• If support from a close relationship reduces risk

Question 7

What design was used?

Answer 7

A prospective design where researchers gather data over a period of time rather than looking back - longitudinal

Question 8

Why was a longitudinal design used?

Answer 8

It allowed risk factors to be studied as they didn’t already have depression so they could see if it developed

Question 9

Where did the study take place?

Answer 9

North Islington, London

Question 10

How many women were used?

Answer 10

395 (435 initially, but 50 already had depression so were ruled out)

Question 11

What controls did they have regarding the sample?

Answer 11

• Only women with husbands in manual labour
• Had at least 1 child under 18 living at home
• Had to be aged 18-50

Question 12

What did interviews measure in the first phase?

Answer 12

Measures of self esteem were taken and personal ties were measured and psychiatric history collected

Question 13

What did interviews measure in the second phase?

Answer 13

Collected data about any onset of a psychiatric disorder a year later and measured stressful life events and social support

Question 14

What measures were taken to ensure reliability?

Answer 14

11 interviewed by 2 clinicians, 10 rated by a second person

Question 15

What was found in the severe life event tests?

Answer 15

150/303 had a severe event - 49.5%

Question 16

What was found in the severe life event and the onset of depression tests?

Answer 16

11% had the onset of depression, 91% of those with the onset of depression had had a severe life event

Question 17

What was found in the severe life event and depression and a negative self evaluation test?

Answer 17

33% of those with the onset of depression and a negative life event also had a negative view of themselves whereas 13% didn’t have a negative view

Question 18

What was found concerning depression and crisis support?

Answer 18

92% of women who had crisis support saw it as helpful, 42% felt they had been let down, 44% who had no support initially developed depression

Question 19

What was concluded in terms of close relationships?

Answer 19

Those who had a close relationship had a lesser chance of getting depression but if they felt let down by the relationship in a time of crisis, they had more of a chance

Question 20

What was concluded in terms of low self esteem?

Answer 20

Low self esteem is implicated in the onset of depression after a crisis, a crisis seemed necessary

Question 21

What is an issue regarding the sample used?

Answer 21

Only women used in lower classes, women of all classes get depression, men get depression, not generalisable

Question 22

How did they increase generalisability?

Answer 22

Included single mothers but only people from london, large sample size

Question 23

Was there reliability?

Answer 23

standardised procedure - could be replicated, 2 main phases, participants randomly selected

Question 24

What could be difficult about the use of interviews?

Answer 24

Semi structured - difficult to replicate

Question 25

Does it have application?

Answer 25

Offers ways to reduce the risk of developing depression, strong support network, high self esteem

Question 26

Does it have validity?

Answer 26

Ensured that the 50 who already had depression were removed, specific criteria for sample - prevents influence of confounding variables

Question 27

What is the difficulty with the fact that they used only people from London?

Answer 27

Depression may be the result of living in a city

Question 28

How were the ethical guidelines adhered to?

Answer 28

Right to withdraw - people dropped out showing they knew of their right to withdraw
Informed consent was obtained via a GP

Question 29

How did the semi structured interview limit validity?

Answer 29

Not everyone was asked the same questions, could have been influenced by researcher bias

Question 30

Why did the interviews limit validity?

Answer 30

Social desirablity bias - people might not want to admit their low self esteem

Question 31

What is an example of a question from the first phase of interviews?

Answer 31

‘Have you and your partner been living at home during the last year’

Question 32

What is an example of a question from the second phase of interviews?

Answer 32

‘Have you had a serious illness in the last year or been seriously injured?’