Exam 4: Research Methods for Studying Mental Disorders

Mrs. Yarnell was given large doses of antipsychotic medications that had side effects including twitches and dizziness. These side effects were misinterpreted as additional psychopathology. Such a mistaken diagnosis illustrates ____.

A source of error that is of particular concern for researchers studying genetically linked disorders is ____.

For some strange reason, a music teacher gives students a vocabulary test before deciding what the right musical instrument is for each student. The vocabulary test gives consistent results, but the students are rarely happy with the instrument they play. The problem is that the vocabulary test ____.

Cynthia wants to ensure that her research is consistent with the scientific method. Among the many characteristics of good research, she will need to be sure that ____.

A professional journal that limited articles to studies that agreed with the editor's beliefs would be engaging in ____.

Which of the following is a hallmark of the scientific method?

In the Thom et al. (2000) study of the treatment of dental-phobic patients, if participants in the two experimental groups showed reduced anxiety from pretest to posttest, could the researchers conclude that the treatments were effective in reducing anxiety?

Dr. Kendall is treating a group of people diagnosed with anxiety disorders. At the completion of the treatment program, analyses indicate that the clients are showing statistically significant changes as a result of treatment. Many of the clients, however, still report feeling strong symptoms of anxiety. Which of the following statements is accurate ?

Dr. Chin told his students, "Incidence rates tell us the percentage of individuals in a targeted population who have a particular disorder during a specified period of time, while prevalence rates describe the number of new cases within a specified period. Shorter periods of time generally reveal higher prevalence rates. Moreover, incidence rates are likely to be lower than prevalence rates." Which part of Dr. Chin's statement is accurate?

The degree to which a genetic characteristic is manifested by individuals carrying a specific gene is called ____.

In a genetic linkage study, which piece of information would be important?

The best way to test cause-and-effect relationships is with a(n) ____.

Research that examines the rate and distribution of mental disorders in the population is called ____.

Kira is involved in a research study consisting of four phases. First, her behavior is monitored under baseline conditions. Then her mother gives her rewards for specific behaviors. In the third stage, she goes back to baseline, and in the fourth, her mother again rewards her. What kind of research is this?

"I never accept the results of one study as conclusive. Findings must be replicated. I look carefully at the methods used to produce conclusions. Because of my skeptical attitude, you can assume that I am a ____."

A researcher looks at many different research studies on a specific topic and analyzes the combined results of these different studies. What is the researcher engaging in?

By definition, reliable measures ____; valid measures ____.

A researcher studies a group of elderly people and finds that, as a group, the better their memory performance, the lower their anxiety level. What can be said about this research?

A study of childhood depression examines six-year-olds for symptoms of depression, then reassesses these individuals when they are eight and 12 years old. What kind of research is this?

When is clinical significance most likely to be minimal while statistical significance is quite large?