Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
This study aimed to examine the relationship between licensed clinical social workers' (LCSWs) skepticism and knowledge about dissociative identity disorder (DID) and their accurate diagnosis of the disorder as moderated by specialized training about DID and/or postmaster’s experience with diagnosis and treatment of the disorder. The following research questions guided the study.
• RQ1a. Is there a relationship between LCSWs’ level of skepticism and level of knowledge about DID.
• RQ1b. Is there a relationship between LCSWs’ level of skepticism and accurate diagnosis of the disorder?
• RQ1c. Is there a relationship between LCSWs’ level of knowledge about DID and accurate diagnosis of the disorder?
• RQ2a. Does specialized training about DID affect the diagnostic accuracy of the disorder?
• RQ2b. Does post-master’s clinical experience with diagnosing and treating DID affect the diagnostic accuracy of the disorder?
Using a cross-sectional research design and informed by philosophical underpinnings of epistemology and skepticism and Kahneman’s model of diagnostic reasoning (Kahneman, 2011), the data for this study were collected via an online survey of randomly selected LCSWs (N=85) in Florida. The survey consisted of a diagnostic vignette with a very short answer (VSA) response, the Skepticism and Knowledge Scales (SKS) comprising 11 items that assess skepticism, six items that assess knowledge, and 13 distractor items (Hayes & Mitchell, 1994), and a demographic questionnaire with 12 items, two of which quantified specialized training about and clinical experience with DID.
• RQ1a. Is there a relationship between LCSWs’ level of skepticism and level of knowledge about DID.
• RQ1b. Is there a relationship between LCSWs’ level of skepticism and accurate diagnosis of the disorder?
• RQ1c. Is there a relationship between LCSWs’ level of knowledge about DID and accurate diagnosis of the disorder?
• RQ2a. Does specialized training about DID affect the diagnostic accuracy of the disorder?
• RQ2b. Does post-master’s clinical experience with diagnosing and treating DID affect the diagnostic accuracy of the disorder?
Using a cross-sectional research design and informed by philosophical underpinnings of epistemology and skepticism and Kahneman’s model of diagnostic reasoning (Kahneman, 2011), the data for this study were collected via an online survey of randomly selected LCSWs (N=85) in Florida. The survey consisted of a diagnostic vignette with a very short answer (VSA) response, the Skepticism and Knowledge Scales (SKS) comprising 11 items that assess skepticism, six items that assess knowledge, and 13 distractor items (Hayes & Mitchell, 1994), and a demographic questionnaire with 12 items, two of which quantified specialized training about and clinical experience with DID.
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