Rosenhan (1973) - On being sane in insane places

///Rosenhan (1973) - On being sane in insane places

The first aim was to illustrate experimentally the problems involved in determining normality and abnormality. Another aim of this study was to investigate reliability and validity of DSM. The last aim was to investigate the negative consequences of being identified as ‘abnormal’ and the effects of institutionalisation.

The sample consisted of 8 participants who were clinically sane but were sent by Rosenhan to mental health institutions as pseudo patients with fake names and occupations reporting as having auditory hallucinations (hearing voice say “thud”, “dull” and “empty)”.

After admission to the wards, the pseudopatients stopped simulating any symptoms immediately and responded adequately to all instructions (except they did not swallow medication) and reported to the staff that they were feeling fine and that the symptoms were gone.

Their task was to seek release by convincing the staff that they were sane and to observe and record the experience of institutionalised mentally disordered patient e.g. how they were treated.

Rosenhan found that all 8 pseudopatients were admitted to wards, however, only 7 out of 8 pseudopatients were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Pseudopatients were discharged with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia in remission, and in remission means they were still not considered to be sane.

Rosenhan also found that the duration of stay ranged from 7 to 52 day with an average of 19 days.

The pseudopatients observed a lack of monitoring, powerlessness, depersonalisation, distortion of behaviour and lack of normal interaction. An example of distortion of behaviour was when the pseudopatients were waiting outside of…