Trying to think of a book / paper...

[loveoforganic]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Honestly, I can't remember if what i'm thinking of is a journal article or book, but any help refreshing my memory would be appreciated.

I remember hearing of a study where a group of psychologists malingered schizophrenia diagnoses to be committed into a psychiatric hospital, at which point they resumed normal behavior. They were investigating biases against their normal behavior due to their commitment and the amount of time it took to be discharged while acting normally.

Thanks a bunch!

Edit: Findings iirc were ~month long commitment durations and significant bias toward behavior, if that helps.

 

[deleted270468]

is it this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenhan_experiment

 

[loveoforganic]

That's it. Thanks a bunch!

 

[erg923]

Although I appreciate the important principles of social psychology and biased based on labels this study illustrated, I think the whole thing has really become overblown. People went to hosital displaying symptoms and reqested help. The recieved it. They displayed no external incentives. When they no longer displayed symptoms, they were discharged as "in remission." What exactly is the problem here?

 

[Evidence Based]

For those following along at home, the original article is called "On Being Sane in Insane Places."

I have the same problems with it that Erg does. If these people faked their symptoms and asked to be admitted to a hospital, then of course they were admitted. The article is an important milestone in modern psychology and psychiatry, but its external validity (he uses his "study" of 8 people to make wild claims about the field of mental health in general) is extremely low.

For anyone who's curious, Robert Spitzer (the soon-to-be author of the DSM III) published a rebuttal soon afterwards. It's not perfect of course, but it does a good job of answering some of Rosenhan's critiques.

On pseudoscience in science, logic in remission, and psychiatric diagnosis: A critique of Rosenhan's "On being sane in insane places".
Journal of Abnormal Psychology Vol 84(5) (Oct 1975): 442-452

 

[loveoforganic]

It seems like the most significant finding is the depersonalization-related stuff - something I didn't even remember hearing about. Thanks for the article Evidence, but I have no database access over summer and it seems there are no free pdf's yet, so I'll have to wait to read it!

 

[ClinPsycMasters]

Although I appreciate the important principles of social psychology and biased based on labels this study illustrated, I think the whole thing has really become overblown. People went to hosital displaying symptoms and reqested help. The recieved it. They displayed no external incentives. When they no longer displayed symptoms, they were discharged as "in remission." What exactly is the problem here?

The problem has to do with validity and reliability of psychiatric diagnoses. I don't think it has become overblown. It is "blown" just the right amount. 🙂

Perhaps if we had blood tests and an equivalent of medical imaging, life would be easier. But as it stands, we rely on what people tell us yet we medicate their bodies (in psychiatry).

 

[DrGero]

The problem has to do with validity and reliability of psychiatric diagnoses. I don't think it has become overblown. It is "blown" just the right amount. 🙂

Perhaps if we had blood tests and an equivalent of medical imaging, life would be easier. But as it stands, we rely on what people tell us yet we medicate their bodies (in psychiatry).

I don't think the Rosenhahn study was overblown at all. The patients did not actually show symptoms of Schizophrenia after admission - *at* *all.* They acted completely normal. Moreover, they were hospitalized for (IIRC) many weeks in some cases before being discharged.

The Rosenhahn study really illustrates the pervasive power of social labelling. Again, I don't think the (social and clinical, perhaps not statistical) significance of the results from their study can be overestimated easily.