Research Methods: Week 3

Question 1

Types of Studies

Answer 1

Experimental

Quasi-experimental (natural experiments)

Nonexperimental (cross-sectional, longitudinal)

Question 2

Example: Three Mile Island Studies

Answer 2

Degree of exposure to toxic or life-threatening

RESULTS:Mothers living within 5 miles of plant had significantly higher self-reported symptoms than those living outside the 5-mile radius

Question 3

2 Problem of defining “caseness”

Answer 3

Incidence data more valuable for etiological research and studies of risk factors

Prevalence measures more useful in public health or service utilization planning

Question 4

Limitations of lifetime prevalence rate

Answer 4

Often decreases with age, which is counter-intuitive

-Could be due to:
Recall bias
High case fatality

Question 5

The Nature of Psychopathology

Answer 5

Psychopathology is intrinsically a composite of diverse symptoms and is likely to be changeable

The interaction of genetics, experience and defense mechanisms produce an infinite variety of symptom combinations

Question 6

Threats to internal validity in Q-E research designs

Answer 6

History 
maturation 
testing 
instrumentation 
selection

Question 7

Threats to external validity in Q-E research design.

Interaction of:(3)

Answer 7

selection and treatment

setting and treatment

history and treatment