Classic Study: Rosenham (1973) Flashcards
What was rosenhams aim
Test reliability of mental health diagnosis to see if profetionals can tell the sane from insane.
Wanted to investigate the effect of labeling on medical diagnosis
What was the IV and DV
No iv or dv as it was an observation
What was the sample in this study
12 psychiatric hospitals in the US
5 different states
What was the procedure
8 pseudopatients went to clinical interviews and reported symptoms
- The hospitals head were informed of pseudopatients but staff didn’t know
- As soon as pseudopatients were admitted they started acting normally and asked to be discharged
How many psuedo patients were men and female
3 - female
5 - men
What were some of the words pseudopatients reported hearing
- Empty
- Hollow
- Thud
What were some things pseudopatients took record of
- how many patients voiced suspition on pseudopatients
- how staff treated them
Results: What were all the patients diagnosed with
11 hospitals diagnosed the pseudopatients with schizophrenia and the private hospital diagnosed pseudopatients with manic-depression.
Results: how long did it take for psuedopatients to be released and what was the avarage stay
7-52 days
Avarage of 19 days
Results: What was the % of patients that voiced concerns of the psuedopatients
30%
Results: What were some of the observations that psuedopatients witnessed
- Staff abusing patients
- Patients refusing medication
- Depersonalisation and powerlessness
Example of staff abusing patients
Observed other patients being verbally or physically abused by staff. Staff shouting “Come on you motherfuckers, out of bed!”
Example of patients refusing medication
Patients would often copy psuedopatients in disposing pills down the toilet
What did Rosenham conclude
That we cannot distinguish the sane from insane in psychiatric hospital.
What did he say about what the hospital environment leads to
situational factors which lead to depersonalisation and segregation, led to people being seen as insane.
