Aim: To see if the sane could be distinguished
from the insane using the DSM classification
system.
Procedure: 8 pseudo patients, all gave false names and false occupation if
working in medicine. 12 different psychiatric hospitals in Us. 3 women, 5 men.
Called to arrange an interview, said they could hear an unfamiliar voice in their
head saying 'hollow', 'thud' and 'empty'. All other details about them were true.
They were admitted to the psychiatric ward and as soon as they did they
stopped simulating any symptoms and behaved normally (apart from being
nervo. They did not swallow any medication, they asked questions, responded
to instructions and talked to staff and other patients. Each pseudo patient was
told they would get out by convincing the staff they were normal/'sane'. All but 1
wanted to be discharged straight away because hospitalisation was so
stressful.
Results: All pseudo patients were admitted and none were detected as
being sane. All but one of them had a diagnosis of schizophrenia in
remission. They stayed in hospital for between 7 & 52 days with the average
being 19 days. 35 out of 118 were suspicious about the insanity of pseudos.
Conclusion: Staff in psychiatric hospitals were unable to
distinguish the sane from the insane, suggesting that the
DSM is not a valid measurement
Carried out in real psychoatric hospitals, using
real staff who were unaware of the study so it
had ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
The number of days the pseudo patients stayed in
the hospitals is an objective measuremeant - saw it
from a patients perspective therefore adding validity
As a range of hospitals were used from around the US
including old & new using different methods, results can
be GENERALSED to other hospital at the time
UNETHICAL as staff were decieved about patients
symptoms, nor did they know they were in a study and
so were unable to give informed consent.
However he did not name any of the hospitals, staff or patients
DSM has been revised since Rosenhans study
and therefore such results are less likely. Another
study is unlikely to replicate results
Pseudo patients insisted on being admitted which is a
symptom in itself, so the voices were not the only symptom
they presented, nor was their behaviour normal when they
were admitted