A psychiatrist is testing a drug that treats depression.He has given the drug to all his patients and all of them have experienced a decrease in depressive symptoms.Although this is interesting,his experience is limited because he does not have a:
A) Reliable way to measure depressive symptoms
B) Comparison group that did not receive the drug
C) Hypothesis
D) Psychotherapy to supplement the drug
E) None of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Without a comparison group that did not receive the drug, it is impossible to determine if the decrease in depressive symptoms was due to the drug or some other factor, such as a placebo effect or natural recovery. Having a control group allows for comparison and enhances the validity of the results.

A Psychiatrist Is Testing a Drug That Treats Depression