1 / 17

Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places

Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places . On being sane in insane places Science 179 250-8 . psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places. introduction difficulty of judging what is 'normal' varies over time / between societies

Patman
Download Presentation

Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places

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. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places On being sane in insane places Science 179 250-8 psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  2. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places introduction • difficulty of judging what is 'normal' • varies over time / between societies • Rosenhan asked "If sanity and insanity exist, how shall we know them?" p250 • research Q: if 'normal' people attempt admission will they be detected? / how? psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  3. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places the study: researchers (NOT participants!) • 8 sane people attempted admission • graduate student; 3 psychologists; a paediatrician; a painter; a 'housewife' • telephoned for an appointment • 12 hospitals; 5 US states • gave false names/addresses; otherwise correct details psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  4. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places the study: pseudo-symptoms • pseudo-patients (PPs) reported unfamiliar, same sex 'voices' • unclear but said 'empty'; 'hollow'; 'thud' • simulated 'existential crisis' • (who am I?; why am I here?) • NB no mention of 'existential crisis' in theories in psychosis psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  5. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places the study: after admission • stopped reporting symptoms • ... but may have looked anxious! • took part in ward activities • kept notes • each had to get out by their own devices! psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  6. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places Results: hospitals' responses • NB hospital staff were the subjects (participants) of this experiment • none of the PPs were detected • all but one diagnosed as schizophrenic • NB not one clear symptom of this! • some other patients were suspicious (35/118 said so) psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  7. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places results: getting out • all pseudo-patients (PPs) wanted to get out ASAP! • remained in hospital 7 - 52 days (av 19) • discharged with 'schizophrenia in remission' psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  8. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places results: follow up study • a teaching and research hospital aware of study • told one or more pseudo-patients would seek admission in next 3m • c 1/10 suspected by 1 psychiatrist + one staff member • none had been sent psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  9. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  10. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places Results: general observations (1) • normal behaviour of PPs ignored or misinterpreted • note taking recorded as pathological in 3 medical records • e.g. 'Patient engages in writing behaviour' • [please engage in this behaviour in my lessons!] psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  11. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places results: general observations (2) • Rosenhan noted: • sane/insane behaviour overlap (such as depressed moods or anger) • in the study a psychiatrist was observed to note early queuing for lunch • told registrars [trainees] this was 'oral-acquisitive' syndrome • another interpretation: boredom in hospital! psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  12. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places results: PP observations • PPs approached staff with polite requests e.g. 'Pardon me Dr X, could you tell me when I will be presented at the staff meeting? • 71% psychiatrists; 88% nurses totally ignored PP's Qs! • [comparative study U students - U staff virtually 100% responses] • nurses stayed in offices c90% of time • therapist-patient contact = < 7 mins per day psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  13. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  14. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places results: evidence of depersonalisation • no privacy, even in toilet (doors often removed) • medical records open to all staff, regardless of therapeutic responsibility • ward orderlies brutal in front of other patients; stop when other staff seen • = patients’ views valueless psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  15. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places results: medication • PPs given 2,100 tablets • only 2 swallowed • when some were flushed PPs spotted other patients' medication! • = cooperative patients' behaviour ignored psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  16. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places discussion (1) • Rosenhan claimed • "It is clear we cannot distinguish the sane from the insane in psychiatric hospitals" (p257) • seems to be overstating BUT • failure to detect sanity • follow up questionable detection of insanity psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

  17. Rosenhan (1973) Sane in Insane places discussion (2) • depersonalisation and powerlessness • R said behaviours interpreted via expectations • R said better to discuss behaviours and causes • R noted real patients did not have PPs' comfort of false diagnosis psychlotron.org.uk Mark Souter

More Related