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Influence of psychiatric training, medical qualification, and paramedical training on the rating of abnormal behaviour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

J. R. M. Copeland ,
M. J. Kelleher ,
A. J. Gourlay  and
A. M. R. Smith
J. R. M. Copeland*
Affiliation:
US/UK Diagnostic Project, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London
M. J. Kelleher
Affiliation:
US/UK Diagnostic Project, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London
A. J. Gourlay
Affiliation:
US/UK Diagnostic Project, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London
A. M. R. Smith
Affiliation:
US/UK Diagnostic Project, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr. J. R. M. Copeland, US/UK Diagnostic Project, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Camberwell, London S.E.5.
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Synopsis

The psychiatric ratings, using the In-Patient Multi-dimensional Psychiatric Scale, of (1) a group of over 200 psychiatrists from the British Isles, (2) third year psychology students, (3) trainee sister tutors, (4) general practitioners attending a postgraduate course in psychiatry, and (5) a group of new registrars at the Maudsley Hospital, were compared. The first hypothesis, that, whereas the non-psychiatrists would rate similar levels of symptoms, the psychiatrists would tend to rate lower than other professional groups, was upheld. The second, that the pattern or profile of symptoms as shown by the IMPS syndromes would differ little between the groups, was also upheld. The third hypothesis, that because of their special training in the recognition of symptoms, psychiatrists would tend to show greater intra-group agreement on the levels of symptoms than the other groups, was not upheld. Some possible reasons for the findings are discussed. The importance for a screening schedule, designed to be used by non-psychiatrists for the detection of psychiatric illness, of the finding that non-psychiatrists rate higher levels of symptoms than psychiatrists, is also discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , February 1975 , pp. 89 - 95
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

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References

REFERENCES

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