exam questions Flashcards
Rosenhan (1973) hypothesised that psychiatrists cannot reliably tell the difference between people who are sane and those who are insane.
With reference to the key research, discuss how classification of mental illness can result in ‘stickiness of labels’ (5 marks)
In Rosehans study, 8 pseudo patients gained admission to 12 hospitals across America
They did this by claiming they heard voices saying “empty, hollow, thud”
All patients except one were given the diagnostic label of schizophrenia, despite the fact that thus is not a known symptom of schizophrenia and once inside they no longer complained of hearing the voice. This study demonstrates the stickiness of labels since once the psuedo patients were institutionalised behaviour was interpreted in light of that label.
For example writing in their notebooks was excessive writing behaviour
Outline one historical view of mental illness (3 marks)
In the ancient world cultures they believed that mental illness was a result of supernatural phenomena
The most commonly believed cause ( demonic possession) was treated by chipping a hole (trepanning) into the skull of a patient by which evil spirits would be released healing the patient
Outline how mental hospitals failed to detect sanity in the research by Rosenhan (1973) (2 marks)
Rosenhan sent 8 psuedo patients into 12 mental hospitals. All were admitted into the hospitals with the diagnoses of schizophrenia and one with manic depression. Despite the fact the pseudo patients were sane, the medical staff in the hospital failed to detect this and they were kept in hospital for an average of 19 days before being released with schizophrenia in remission.
Discuss ethical considerations of the research by Rosenhan (1973) (6 marks)
One ethical consideration of the research by Rosenhan is that major deception was used as the pseudo patients were not actually ill, which medical staff were lead to believe.
Another ethical consideration of the research was protection from harm of the real patients who were in the mental hospitals that Rosenhan used. As a result, time spent with real patients trying to treat them would have reduced treatment time spent with real patients. Since nurses spent 90% of their time in their office it is unlikely to have made a huge difference
Richard and Wendy are parents. They have just been told that their son has a psychotic disorder. They don’t understand what this means.
How might a clinical psychologist explain to Richard and Wendy the characteristics of a psychotic disorder? (6 marks)
A clinical psychologist could first bring out the DSM and allow Richard and Wendy to read it first. The psychologist would explain that psychotic disorders are when there is a split between the mind and reality - therefore their son experiences positive symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, catatonic behaviours etc. The psychologist could also explain that their son will experience negative symptoms which is an impairment in normal behaviour, such as poverty of speech, lessening fluency and emotionally flat. Thus Wendy and Richard would understand the characteristics of their son’s schizophrenia, as they can understand examples of behaviour that they could see in their son.
Outline one way of categorising mental disorders (3 marks)
