Primary and Secondary Data

• Primary Data

  Data collected firsthand by the clinician on mental health. The clinician plans and conducts a study, and collects and analyses the data specifically for their clinical research hypothesis. Data collected can be qualitative or quantitative.​
• Primary :) Range of data collected

  data collected on clinical disorders can be both qualitative and quantitative. Furthermore, the researchers can have contact with the patients meaning additional data can be collected if needed. T/f can produce a detailed analysis of clinical disorders increasing validity of data collected​
• Primary :) Temporal Validity

  research will be conducted using the current DSM criteria to diagnose patients from the current population, using methods relevant at that point. T/f data collected on mental health has high external validity as is relevant to current mental health issues and can be generalised to the current MH population​
• Primary ​:( Unpractical

  the researcher needs to plan the research, aquire a sample, collect and analyse the data on MH, which can be time consuming and expensive COMPARED TO secondary data. T/f isnt a very economical method for researchers to study MH COMPARED to secondary data​
• Secondary Data

  Data collected second-hand by the clinician using someone elses data (meta analysis/case study). Could use doctors notes from the patient or videos of patients. Analyse the secondary they have collected to answer their hypothesis on mental health​
• ​Secondary Data :) No researcher effect

  the researcher doesn’t have direct contact with the patient, but is analysing data on MH that has already been collected by others. T/f no demand characteristics where patients have changed their behaviour to suit the hypothesis, increasing validity
• Secondary Data ​:) Practical compared to primary data

  researcher doenst need to collect the data firsthand, as it has already been collected, so is ready for the researcher to analyse. T/f its an economical method for researchers, and isnt as time consuming as primary data to study MH
• Secondary ​:( Data might not be fit for purpose

  data may have originally been collected for a different hypothesis to the one of the researcher using the secondary data, so it wont be suitable to use in the research. T/f it might not be appropriate for the researchers study as it may generate invalid conclusions
• Secondary :( Temporal validity

  the research may have originally been conducted using an outdated diagnostic manual, on an older population using outdated methods. T/f not generalisable to current MH populations decreasing the external validity of the findings