Cross sectional studies

Question 1

What is a cross sectional study?

Answer 1

This sort of study uses several groups of ppts who are at different points in time.
For example, it might use a group of 5 years olds and a group of 10 years olds or a group of people who just started psychotherapy and a gorup of people already half way through psychotherapy

Question 2

What is some strengths of a cross-sectional studies?

Answer 2

• Reasonably cheap, quick and practical, as ppts need only be tested once and there is no follow up study necessary
  -ppts are more easily obtained, because there is less pressure with cross sectional studies than there is for them to stick with longitudianl studies
  -less ethical considerations than for longitudinal

Question 3

What are some weaknesses of cross-sectional studies?

Answer 3

-There is less rich detailed data collected than there is with longitudinal studies with regards to individual ppt differences
-the data collected are from a snapshot in time, it is harder to identify and analyse developmental trends in cross sectional studies