Question

You are an experimental psychologist interested in finding out how effective a new medication might work for treating depression. Describe a study you might conduct to reach some conclusions on this matter. Be sure to define and provide examples of the following terms and concepts, demonstrating your understanding of each: hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable, random assignment of participants, ethical guidelines.

Answer 1

     To determine how effective a new medication might work for depression, experimental psychologists would have to design the study and the hypothesis. They would then submit it to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for approval, recruit participants as detailed in the study, get informed consent, monitor the conditions of the study, and evaluate the results based on biological markers or MRIs and the Hamilton Depression Scale taken before, during and after the study. These results would be tabulated and submitted with the written report. If the researchers did not have to end the study due to some unforeseen risk or problem the medication engendered and the findings were encouraging, the experimental drug could be eligible for Stage II Random Control Testing (RCT). If so, the experimental psychologists would be required to follow the aforementioned steps and design the study according to the FDA guidelines for such.

Hypothesis: Those treated with the new medication would experience lesser depression and higher functioning levels than those treated with the placebo. Therefore, depression levels would be dependent upon the independent variables (clinical psychology and the new medication, the independent variables).

Study participants: persons diagnosed with depression for at least 6 months. Selection would necessitate participants as closely matched to the prevalence of depression. In other words, gender, racial and ethnic groups, as well as socioeconomic status should be as close to reported rates as possible. Placebo group should be developed using matched characteristics. Recruits would be obtained from 12 area psychologists. Ideally, these psychologists would use the same clinical methods such as Cognitive Behavioral.

Informed consent and the purpose of the study must be disclosed to participants. This disclosure and informed consent must not be coerced or otherwise enticed. This would challenge the validity of the study and violate the Helsinki Declaration.

Deception and Debriefing- For those who received the placebo, debriefing would be necessary, since placebos violate trust.

For examples and more informations you can click a link clinicaltrials.gov . hope you get helped !