Cross Sectional Designs

Question 1

Cross sectional designs

A01-Why it is used

Answer 1

• Used to take a quick ‘snapshot’ of behaviour in a population, rather than waiting for longitudinal data to be gathered.
• Researcher usually use a large group of people in the sample to get a good cross section of the whole target population
• Link to clinical= research into the different experience of people with SZ at different ages
• Rather then conducting longitudinal research which is time consuming and expensive, researcher can take a sample of participants of different ages and investigate them at the same time
• It is a measure of participants at one time, rather than over time

Question 2

Cross sectional designs

A01- Link to clinical

Answer 2

Example of cross sectional quantitative designs is investigating whether peer victimisation is positively related to psychosocial maladjustment. Paper presents a meta analytic review of cross sectional studies published between 1978 and 1997 on association with peer victimisation and psychosocial maladjustment

• Calculated mean effect sizes for association
• Results suggest victimisation most strongly related to depression and least strongly related to anxiety.
• Effect sizes stronger when same informants were used to assess both victimisation and maladjustment, than when different informants were used
• Results provide a strong background for more complex research into the course and treatment of victims distress

Question 3

Cross sectional designs

Evaluation A03

Answer 3

Strength-
Compared to longitudinal research, data is gathered far more quickly, with research likely to be valid as it will be reported at the time. Therefore, this allows conclusions to be reached and applied rapidly with the research having more relevant application than longitudinal studies as it is up to date with the research at the time.

Question 4

Cross sectional designs

Evaluation A03

Answer 4

Strength-
Opposed to longitudinal research, cross sectional studies involve large groups of people rather than a singular or small group of individuals, meaning it can be consider more ethical. This approach is far less intrusive, not requiring patients to discuss distressing symptoms or experiences of their mental health disorder, which could be upsetting as a confirmation of their mental state. In turn this also makes the study more useful as participant are easier to find and gather data from

Question 5

Cross sectional designs

Evaluation A03

Answer 5

Weakness-
Issues with validity mean we can question the scientific credibility of the method. Often all participant variables aren’t controlled for due to the large and varied sample size such as personal experiences of an illness, suggesting that individual differences are likely to have an impact on the conclusions researched. Therefore, a cause and effect conclusion may be difficult to reach and we can question the accuracy of the results

Question 6

Cross sectional designs

Evaluation A03

Answer 6

Weakness-
Reliability may be low in this method due to the amount of participants reducing the consistency of the method due to effect of extraneous variables such as individual differences. This makes comparisons less meaningful and so conclusions less useful as we are uncertain to the extent the extraneous variables have impacted the results