1 / 17

Research Methods in Clinical Psychology

Research Methods in Clinical Psychology. Carolyn R. Fallahi, Ph. D. Why do research?. We can avoid speculation. Is a particular technique really effective? Research also helps us extend and modify our theories. Example of Beck’s theory of depression. Methods.

harmon
Télécharger la présentation

Research Methods in Clinical Psychology

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Research Methods in Clinical Psychology Carolyn R. Fallahi, Ph. D.

  2. Why do research? • We can avoid speculation. • Is a particular technique really effective? • Research also helps us extend and modify our theories. • Example of Beck’s theory of depression.

  3. Methods • Observation versus unsystematic observation • Unsystematic Observation • Naturalistic Observation • Case Studies • The Case of Dora • The Case of Little Hans • The Three Faces of Eve • The Mask of Sanity • Cases in Behavior Modification

  4. Epidemiological Research • The study of the: • incidence • prevalence • distribution of illness or disease in a given population. • Mostly done with surveys and interviews.

  5. Potential Problems with Survey Data • How do we define mental illness? • How do we locate these cases? • How do we handle less serious forms of the illness? • Sampling issues. • Issues of social desirability. • (Henry, Moffitt, Caspi, Langley, & Silva, 1994)

  6. The latest in Epidemiological Studies that are methodologically sound. • Kessler et al (1994) • Obtain estimates of the 12 month and lifetime prevalence of a number of mental disorders. • Gender differences.

  7. Correlational Methods • Are particular patient characteristics related to therapy outcomes? • What is correlation? • The issue of causality. • Factor Analysis

  8. Cross-sectional versus Longitudinal Approaches • Cross-sectional • Longitudinal

  9. Experimental Method • Cause and effect relationships • Langer & Rodin (1976) study • The issue of matching. • Experimental hypothesis. • Independent & Dependent Variables. • Controlling for extraneous variables.

  10. Between versus Within Group Designs • Between: 1 group receives the treatment; the other does not. • Random Assignment. • Within group: comparisons might be made on the same patient at different points in time. • Example.

  11. Analog Research • The question: are studies in the laboratory analogous to real life? • The benefits of analog research. • For example: constructing the way they think phobias occur. • Almost all experimental studies are analog studies. • Issue: ethical restraints. • Other benefits: better internal validity.

  12. Single-case design • Similar to both experimental and case study methods. • A subject’s behavior is measured under several conditions. • Baseline – measure – intervention – measure. • Positive use – in the clinical setting & reduces the numbers needed.

  13. ABAB Design • A=initial baseline period • B=treatment period • A=return to the baseline • B=second treatment period.

  14. Multiple Baseline Designs • Example of a baseline design. • Ethical issues. • Moras, Telfer, & Barlow (1993)

  15. Mixed Design • Experimental & correlational techniques are sometimes combined. • Davidson et al (2004).

  16. Statistical Significance • Statistical versus practical significance. • .05 is a scientific tradition. • Significant but meaningful?

  17. Ethics in Research • Approval by the IRB. • Informed consent. • Use of deception. • The issues of inducements. • Publishing issues. • Informing research participants about how the data will be used. • Animal use.

More Related