DR.

NIMISHA BERI ASSISSTANT PROFESSOR LFEH

Case Study
Case studies are in-depth investigations of a single

person, group, event or community. The case study research method originated in clinical medicine (the case history, i.e. the patients personal history - idiographic method). Case studies have a clinical orientation with a focus on helping the individual for self-improvement.

 In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subjects life

and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes for behavior. The hope is that learning gained from studying one case can be generalized to many others. Unfortunately, case studies tend to be highly subjective and it is difficult to generalize results to a larger population.

 In special cases, case studies of the lives of great

persons can be an illuminating experience for those willing to learn from the life experiences of such people. Much of Freuds work and theories were developed through individual case studies. Freud's most famous case studies include Little hans and The Rat Man.

 Case study examines behaviors in the real life context,

collecting information about the individual from multiple sources, such as parents, family members, peers, teachers, and other relevant persons in the life of the individual. The background variables that have contributed to the present status of the individual are assessed. His medical, family, and social histories are taken into consideration to understand his unique experiences. Such an exercise helps the investigator in understanding the fears, aspirations, and fantasies of the individual, and provides guidelines regarding what can be done to deal with the problems faced by the individual.

 The case study is not itself a research method, but

researchers select methods of data collection and analysis that will generate material suitable for case studies such as qualitative techniques (semistructured interviews, participant observation, diaries), personal notes (e.g. letters, photographs, notes) or official document (e.g. case notes, clinical notes, appraisal reports).
The data then collected can be analysed using

different theories (e.g. grounded theory, interpretative phenomenological analysis, text interpretation (e.g. thematic coding) etc.

 A researcher while using the case-study method may

use psychological tests and questionnaires, and may interview relevant persons to collect information regarding the life experiences of the individual

Characteristics
A descriptive study a. The data collected constitute descriptions of psychological processes and events, and of the contexts in which they occurred (qualitative data). b. The main emphasis is always on the construction of verbal descriptions of behaviour or experience but quantitative data may be collected. c. High levels of detail are provided. Narrowly focused. a. Typically a case study offers a description of only a single individual, and sometimes about groups. b. Often the case study focuses on a limited aspect of a person, such as their psychopathological symptoms.

Combines objective and subjective data The researcher may combine objective and subjective data. All are regarded as valid data for analysis, and as a basis for inferences within the case study. i. The objective description of behaviour and its context ii. Details of the subjective aspect, such as feelings, beliefs,impressions or interpretations. In fact, a case study is uniquely able to offer a means of achieving an in-depth understanding of the behaviour and experience of a single individual. Process-oriented. a. The case study method enables the researcher to explore and describe the nature of processes, which occur over time. b. In contrast to the experimental method, which basically provides a stilled snapshot of processes, which may be continuing over time like for example the development of language in children over time.

Objectives of the Case study

For the diagnosis and treatment of the behavioral

problems For providing better guidance and counselling

Types of Case Studies

Explanatory: Used to do causal investigations. Exploratory: A case study that is sometimes used as a prelude

to further, more in-depth research. This allows researchers to gather more information before developing their research questions and hypotheses. Descriptive: Involves starting with a descriptive theory. The subjects are then observed and the information gathered is compared to the pre-existing theory. Intrinsic: A type of case study in which the researcher has a personal interest in the case. Collective: Involves studying a group of individuals. Instrumental: Occurs when the individual or group allows researchers to understand more than what is initially obvious to observers.

Case Study Methods

Prospective: A type of case study in which an individual or

group of people is observed in order to determine outcomes. For example, a group of individuals might be watched over an extended period of time to observe the progression of a particular disease.
Retrospective: A type of case study that involves looking

at historical information. For example, researchers might start with an outcome, such as a disease, and then backwards at information about the individuals life to determine risk factors that may have contributed to the onset of the illness.

Sources of Information Used in a Case Study

Direct observation: This strategy involves observing the subject, often in

a natural setting. While an individual observer is sometimes used, it is more common to utilize a group of observers.

Interviews: One of the most important methods for gathering

information in case studies. An interview can involves structured surveytype questions, or more open-ended questions.

Documents: Letters, newspaper articles, administrative records, etc. Archival records: Census records, survey records, name lists, etc. Physical artifacts: Tools, objects, instruments and other artifacts often

observed during a direct observation of the subject.

Participant observation: Involves the researcher actually serving as a

participant in events and observing the actions and outcomes.

What type of subjects are taken for the case studies?

Creative person Gifted or genius Backward children Delinquents and criminals Persons having social, emotional, physical, and educational problems Antisocial personality

Strengths of case studies

Provides detailed (rich qualitative) information
Provides insight for further research Permitting investigation of otherwise impractical (or

unethical) situations Give psychological researchers the possibility to investigate cases, which could not possibly be engineered in research laboratories Help us generate new ideas

Limitations of case studies

Cant generalise the results to the wider population
Researchers own subjective feeling may influence the case

study (researcher bias) Difficult to replicate Time consuming Suffer from problems of reliability and validity, because people interviewed may overemphasize certain selected aspects of behavior while ignoring others. The unique experiences that are prone to arouse feelings of shame and guilt may not be easily accessed.

How Are Case Studies Used in Psychology?

Profiling
Many areas of psychology related to crime employ the

use of case studies. Investigative psychology, forensic psychology and criminal psychology all rely heavily on case studies to make assessments and determinations regarding crimes

 Diagnosing Case studies are evidence-supported conclusions carefully deemed reliable through validity measures taken by researchers. In psychology, case studies offer a way to diagnose specific disorders in conjunction with the standard diagnostic criteria. Looking into case studies allows the psychologist a way to disprove or confirm an unclear diagnosis.

 Educating Case studies comprise a large component of teaching

psychology students Psychology students practice analyzing and diagnosing ,by reading proven case studies, which provides a clear answer to the study activity, thereby eliminating debate and reinforcing consistency and accuracy.

 Analyzing Without the case-study method,

psychologists in general would not have organized information to present to a group of peers for input, nor would it be possible to see all of the contributing factors. The case-study method commonly assists with behavior modification techniques, through analysis of the behavior's precursors and after effects.

 Treating
Specifically, clinical psychologists rely heavily on case

studies to evaluate and find the best treatment method for the person in question. Researching a variety of proven treatments as outlined in case studies offers options for treating a person's diagnosed condition.

It deals in education the following problems

Lack of interest in students Aggressive behaviour in student Day dreaming Poor academic performance Emotional problem Social problems Empathetic understanding Find the problem Establish report Treatment