Classic study clinical Rosenhan

• Who conducted the classic study "On Being Sane in Insane Places"?

  Rosenhan
• What was the sample used in Rosenhan's study?

  Doctors and nurses in 12 hospitals
• What were the two types of hospital staff conditions mentioned?

  Good staff ratio and bad understaffing
• What was the purpose of the pseudo patients in the study?

  To test the validity of psychiatric diagnoses
• How did the pseudo patients behave during their stay?

  They behaved normally and answered honestly.
• What was the average duration of hospital stay for pseudo patients?

  19 days
• How did real patients perceive the pseudo patients?

  Many suspected them to be sane.
• How were pseudo patients treated by hospital staff?

  They were treated according to their diagnosis.
• What was the outcome regarding medication supervision?

  Only 2 out of 2100 tablets were swallowed.
• What was the conclusion drawn by Rosenhan regarding diagnostic processes?

  They lead to inaccurate outcomes.
• What are the implications of Rosenhan's study for clinical psychology?

  • Highlights flaws in psychiatric diagnosis
  • Suggests situational factors affect diagnosis
  • Calls for improved diagnostic criteria
• What were the observed behaviors of staff towards pseudo patients?

  • High rates of depersonalization
  • Ignored 71% of the time by psychiatrists
  • Minimal verbal responses (2% of cases)
• Describe Rosenhan sample and procedure

  • Rosenhans aim was to investigate life in a psychiatric hospital
  • Sample was Doctors and nurses who worked in 12 hospitals across 5 states
  • Method was Covert observation in natural setting (field experiment)
  • 8 pseudo patients 3 women and 5 men with no history of mental health problems
  • Pseudo patients complained they'd been hearing voices say empty, hollow and thud
  • False name and job but other details they gave were correct
  • Once admitted pseudo patients stopped producing symptoms and made notes on life in the hospital. For follow up study no pseudo patients were sent to the hospital
• Describe Rosenhan results

  • 11/12 hospitals admitted a pseudopatient
  • All were admitted with a diagnosis of SZ except one who was diagnosed with manic depression
  • Average remain in hospital for 19 days with range of 7-52
  • Real patients suspected researchers to be sane with one being asked if they were a journalist
  • Treated by staff in a way consistent with diagnosis: Note taking became writing behaviour and pacing the corridors from boredom being interpreted as oral acquisitive syndrome
  • Depersonalisation of patients by staff was an issue as pseudo patients ignored 71% of the time by psychiatrists, and of 185 reasonable questions asked none answered
  • 2 tablets swallowed out of 2100 showing lack of supervision. In follow up study 41/193 judged to be pseudopatients by at least one member of staff even though none sent