The data is objective and unbiased in terms of the number of hospital stays and length of the stays. The data is secondarydata and becuase the data is objective it is more scientific. This incerases the validity of the findings.
Two experts who did not know the aim of the study tested the reliability of the re-diagnosis. The inter-rater reliability rate was 80%, showing there was good reliability.
Ethical guidelines were adhered to. Confidentiality was kept; the patients' details were not disclosed. Competence was shown as Goldtstein made sure other researchers were present to check the reliability of the re-diagnosis.
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Weaknesses
The study used a relatively small sample from a limited area (around New York) and similar background (most were non-Hispanic white). There are limitations of the sample that might prevent generalisation to all schizophrenic patients.
There is potential interviewer bias influencing results and the data obtained which could affect the validity of the data.
The sample's age limit was 45 which might have effected the results and therefore lacks generalisability. Some studies show that the onset of schizophrenia for about 9% of women is after the age of 45 and that is not the case for men. This means the course of schizophrenia for women might be less severe only for some women under the age of 45.
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