Emilio Aguinaldo College
School of Arts and Sciences
PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM
Congressional East Avenue, [Link] Main, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite
(+63)046-4164342 loc. 148
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ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
I. SCIENCE AND SCIENTIFIC METHODS
A theory is a set of propositions meant to
explain a class of observations. Usually, the
goal of scientific theories is to understand
cause–effect relationships.
A theory permits the generation of more
specific hypotheses—expectations about what
should occur if a theory is true.
Randomization is the process of assigning
people to different research groups in such a
way that each person has an equal chance of
being placed in any group.
Analogue models create in the controlled conditions of the laboratory aspects that are comparable
(analogous) to the phenomenon under study.
Generalizability - the extent to which results apply to everyone with a particular disorder. If wencontrol
all aspects of a study so that only the independent variable changes, the result is not relevant to the real
world.
Statistical significance (a mathematical calculation about the difference between groups) and clinical
significance (whether or not the difference was meaningful for those affected) Kiesler labeled the
tendency to see all participants as one homogeneous group the patient uniformity myth.
Different Research Methods
1. The Case Study. Perhaps the most familiar method of observing human behavior, involves recording
detailed information about one person at a time.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Can’t generalized the results (weak in external validity)
2. The Correlational Method
A great deal of psychopathology research relies on the correlational method. Correlational studies
address questions of the form ―Do variable X and variable Y vary together (co-relate)?” In correlational
research, variables are measured as they exist in nature.
Once such pairs of measurements are obtained, the strength of the relationship between the paired
observations can be computed to determine the correlation coefficient, denoted by the symbol r. This
statistic may take any value between –1.00 and +1.00, and it measures both the magnitude and the
direction of a relationship. The higher the absolute value of r, the stronger the relationship between the
two variables. That is, an r of either +1.00 or –1.00 indicates the strongest possible, or perfect,
relationship, whereas an r of .00 indicates that the variables are unrelated.
3. In a longitudinal design, the researcher tests whether causes are present before a disorder has
developed. This is in contrast to a cross-sectional design, in which the causes and effects are measured at
the same point in time.
4. Epidemiological Research
Scientists often think of
themselves as detectives,
searching for the truth by
studying clues. One type of
correlational research that is
much like the efforts of
detectives is called
epidemiology, the study of the
incidence, distribution, and consequences of a particular problem or set of problems in one or more
populations. One strategy involves determining prevalence, the number of people with a disorder at any
one time. determine the incidence of a disorder, the estimated number of new cases during a specific
period.
5. The experiment is the most powerful tool
for determining causal relationships. It
involves the random assignment of
participants to conditions, the manipulation
of an independent variable, and the
measurement of a dependent variable.
Treatment outcome research is designed
to address a simple question: does
treatment work? The clear answer is yes.
Here we will focus on the issues in testing
psychotherapy, but many of these same
issues must be considered in evaluating
medication treatments. (empirically
supported treatments)
A special type of group experimental design
is used more and more frequently in the
treatment of psychological disorders and is
referred to as a clinical trial
A no-treatment control group allows researchers to test whether the mere passage of time helps as
much as treatment does. A stricter test compares the treatment group to a placebo control group.
placebo effect refers to a physical or psychological improvement that is due to a patient’s expectations
of help rather than to any active ingredient in a treatment.
Double-blind procedure
Efficacy of a treatment, that is, whether a treatment works under the purest of conditions.
We need to determine not just the efficacy of a treatment but also its effectiveness, that is, how well the
treatment works in the real world.
Dissemination is the process of facilitating adoption of efficacious treatments in the community, most
typically by offering clinicians guidelines about the best available treatments along with training on how
to conduct those treatments.
Analogue Experiments The experimental method is the clearest way to determine cause– effect
relationships. Even though experiments are typically used to test treatments, there are many situations in
which the experimental method cannot be used to understand the causes of abnormal behavior.
Analogue experiment. Investigators attempt to create or observe a related phenomenon—that is, an
analogue—in the laboratory to allow more intensive study. Because a true experiment is conducted,
results with good internal validity can be obtained
Single-Case Experiments.
In single-case experimental design, the
experimenter studies how one person responds to
manipulations of the independent variable. Unlike
the traditional case studies described above,
single-case experimental designs can have high
internal validity.
Integrating the Findings of Multiple Studies
Meta-analysis was developed as a partial solution to this problem).
The first step in a meta-analysis is a thorough literature search, so
that all relevant studies are identified. Because these studies have
typically used different statistical tests, meta-analysis then puts all
the results into a common scale, using a statistic called an effect
size.
Meta-analysis is an important tool for reaching conclusions from a
group of research studies. It entails putting the statistical
comparisons from single studies into a common format—the effect
size—so the results of many studies can be averaged.
Ethical Principle of Research with Human subjects:
Ethical Research carefully protects the rights of human subjects by avoiding coercion, uninformed participation,
and unnecessary deception.
1. Freedom from coercion.
-Coerce or pressure a subject into participating in an experiment.
2. Informed Consent
- the researcher must, under most circumstances, give potential subjects a full description of the
experiment , in language they can understand, before they are asked to participate. In research on human
subjects, the legal requirement that researchers inform potential participants about the general purpose of
the study, the procedures that will be used, any risks, discomforts, or limitations on confidentiality, any
compensation for participation, and their freedom to withdraw from thestudy at any point
3. Deception
It is sometimes used in research when knowing the true purpose of a study would change the
participants’ responses or produce non-veridical data.
a. The potential subjects must be told everything they could reasonably be expected to know to make
an informed decision about participation.
b. The nature of deception must be fully revealed to the subjects immediately after their participation in
the experiment.
4. Debriefing
-Research participants have a right know the results of the study. It includes explaining the purpose and
method of the experiment, asking the participants their feelings about being participants in the
experiment, and helping the participants deal with possible doubts or guilt that arise from their behaviors
in the research. In research on human subjects, the legal requirement that researchers explain to
participants the purpose, importance, and results of the research following their participation.
BAUTISTA, JUNO C. MP-CP, RPm
Psychology Program Head
References:
Barlow, D. H. & Durand, V. M. (2015) Abnormal psychology: An integrative approach (7th ed.).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning
Oltmanns, T. F. & Emery R. E. (2012) Abnormal psychology (7th ed.). USA: Pearson Education
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2017) Abnormal psychology (7th ed.). NY: McGraw-Hill
Sadock, B.J., & Sadock, V.A. (2007). Kaplan & Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry (10th ed.) Philadelphia, USA:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins