Chapter 2 - The Value Of Research For Clinicians Flashcards
(35 cards)
Carl Rogers
Opened door to psychotherapy research and demonstrated the necessity of research
Bias
An inclination of temperament or outlook; prejudice, bent; tendency
Designed research studies and what do they control
They control bias, examples are random assignment of subjects and double blind studies
Psychotherapy
Create 2 conditions:
- the desired treatment to measure
- the attention placebo
Non-clinical research and practicing clinicians
Useful to know what normal behavior/function looks like to compare to the disrupted behavior/function
Memory
Benefits of research on this allows someone to know the difference between normal and abnormal functions
Research and diagnosis
- revisions in DSM require field testing on specific criteria associated with given disorder to make diagnosis and treatment more reliable
- research in the reliability and validity of test instruments can improve diagnostic accuracy
Evidence based care
- insurance demand that treatments used with specific disorders must show evidence of effectiveness through research
Does research ever change?
YES.
Do all psychologists do research?
NO! Only 10% of psychologists do research. It accounts for 90% of the research we see
Nomothetic Understanding
A general understanding of the nature, causes and treatments of abnormal functioning in the form of laws or principles
Scientific method
The process of systematically gathering and evaluating information, through careful observations, to understand a phenomenon
Hypothesis
A hunch or prediction that certain variables are related in certain ways
How are case studies helpful?
- can be a source of new ideas about behavior
- challenge a theories assumptions
- May show the value of new therapeutic techniques
- May offer opportunities to study unusual problems that do not occur enough to permit a large number of observations
Limitations of case studies
- reporters by bias observers
- provide little basis for generalization
- rate low on external validity and internal validity
Case study
A detailed account of a person life and psychological problems
Internal validity
The accuracy with which a study can pinpoint one factor as the cause of a phenomenon
External validity
The degree to which the results of a study may be generalized beyond that study
Correlation
The degree to which the events or characteristics vary along with each other
Correlational method
A research procedure used to determine how much events or characteristics vary along with each other
How do you describe correlations?
- positive
- negative
- no correlation
When can correlations be trusted?
If p is less than .05 it is said to be statistically significant
Experiment
A research procedure in which a variable is manipulated and the effect of the manipulation on another variable is observed
Independent variable
The variable is an experiment that is manipulated to determine whether it has an effect on another variable
