CASE STUDY METHOD

 

A case study is an in-depth study of one person, group, or event. In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject's life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes of behavior. Case studies can be used in a variety of fields including psychology, medicine, education, anthropology, political science, and social work.

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 sometimes difficult to generalize results to a larger population.

Benefits and Limitations

A case study can have both strengths and weaknesses. Researchers must consider these pros and cons before deciding if this type of study is appropriate for their needs.

One of the greatest advantages of a case study is that it allows researchers to investigate things that are often difficult to impossible to replicate in a lab. Some other benefits of a case study:1

• Allows researchers to collect a great deal of information
• Give researchers the chance to collect information on rare or unusual cases
• Allows researchers to develop hypotheses that can be explored in experimental research

On the negative side, a case study:

• Cannot necessarily be generalized to the larger population
• Cannot demonstrate cause and effect
• May not be scientifically rigorous
• Can lead to bias

Researchers may choose to perform a case study if they are interested in exploring a unique or recently discovered phenomenon. The insights gained from such research can then help the researchers develop additional ideas and study questions that might then be explored in future studies.

Case Study Examples

There have been a number of notable case studies in the history of psychology. Much of Freud's work and theories were developed through the use of individual case studies. Some great examples of case studies in psychology include:

• Anna O: Anna O. was a pseudonym of a woman named Bertha Pappenheim, a patient of a physician named Josef Breuer. While she was never a patient of Freud's, Freud and Breuer discussed her case extensively. The woman was experiencing symptoms of a condition that was then known as hysteria and found that talking about her problems helped relieve her symptoms. Her case played an important part in the development of talk therapy as an approach to mental health treatment.
• Phineas Gage: Phineas Gage was a railroad employee who experienced a terrible accident in which an explosion sent a metal rod through his skull, damaging important portions of his brain. Gage recovered from his accident but was left with serious changes in both personality and behavior.
• Genie: Genie was a young girl subjected to horrific abuse and isolation. The case study of Genie allowed researchers to study whether language could be taught even after critical periods for language development had been missed. Her case also served as an example of how scientific research may interfere with treatment and lead to further abuse of vulnerable individuals.

Such cases demonstrate how case research can be used to study things that researchers could not replicate in experimental settings. In Genie's case, her horrific abuse had denied her the opportunity to learn language at critical points in her development.

This is clearly not something that researchers could ethically replicate, but conducting a case study on Genie allowed researchers the chance to study phenomena that are otherwise impossible to reproduce.

Types

There are a few different types of case studies that psychologists and other researchers might utilize:

• Collective case studies: These involve studying a group of individuals. Researchers might study a group of people in a certain setting or look at an entire community of people.
• Descriptive case studies: These involve starting with a descriptive theory. The subjects are then observed and the information gathered is compared to the pre-existing theory.
• Explanatory case studies: These are often used to do causal investigations. In other words, researchers are interested in looking at factors that may have actually caused certain things to occur.
• Exploratory case studies: These are 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.
• Instrumental case studies: These occur when the individual or group allows researchers to understand more than what is initially obvious to observers.
• Intrinsic case studies: This type of case study is when the researcher has a personal interest in the case. Jean Piaget's observations of his own children are good examples of how an intrinsic cast study can contribute to the development of a psychological theory.

The type of case study that is used depends on the unique characteristics of the situation as well as the case itself.

How to Write a Case Study

There are also different methods that can be used to conduct a case study, including prospective and retrospective case study methods.

Prospective case study methods are those 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 case study methods involve looking at historical information. For example, researchers might start with an outcome, such as a disease, and then work their way backward to look at information about the individual's life to determine risk factors that may have contributed to the onset of the illness.

Where to Find Data

There are a number of different sources and methods that researchers can use to gather information about an individual or group. Six major sources that have been identified by researchers are:

• Archival records: Census records, survey records, and name lists are examples of archival records.
• 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.
• Documents: Letters, newspaper articles, administrative records, etc., are the types of documents often used as sources.
• Interviews: Interviews are one of the most important methods for gathering information in case studies. An interview can involve structured survey questions or more open-ended questions.
• Participant observation: When the researcher serves as a participant in events and observes the actions and outcomes, it is called participant observation.
• Physical artifacts: Tools, objects, instruments, and other artifacts are often observed during a direct observation of the subject.

Section 1: A Case History

This section will have the following structure and content:

Background information: The first section of your paper will present your client's background. Include factors such as age, gender, work, health status, family mental health history, family and social relationships, drug and alcohol history, life difficulties, goals, and coping skills and weaknesses.

Description of the presenting problem: In the next section of your case study, you will describe the problem or symptoms that the client presented with.

Describe any physical, emotional, or sensory symptoms reported by the client. Thoughts, feelings, and perceptions related to the symptoms should also be noted. Any screening or diagnostic assessments that are used should also be described in detail and all scores reported.

Your diagnosis: Provide your diagnosis and give the appropriate Diagnostic and Statistical Manual code. Explain how you reached your diagnosis, how the client's symptoms fit the diagnostic criteria for the disorder(s), or any possible difficulties in reaching a diagnosis.

Section 2: Treatment Plan

This portion of the paper will address the chosen treatment for the condition. This might also include the theoretical basis for the chosen treatment or any other evidence that might exist to support why this approach was chosen.

• Cognitive behavioral approach: Explain how a cognitive behavioral therapist would approach treatment. Offer background information on cognitive behavioral therapy and describe the treatment sessions, client response, and outcome of this type of treatment. Make note of any difficulties or successes encountered by your client during treatment.
• Humanistic approach: Describe a humanistic approach that could be used to treat your client, such as client-centered therapy. Provide information on the type of treatment you chose, the client's reaction to the treatment, and the end result of this approach. Explain why the treatment was successful or unsuccessful.
• Psychoanalytic approach: Describe how a psychoanalytic therapist would view the client's problem. Provide some background on the psychoanalytic approach and cite relevant references. Explain how psychoanalytic therapy would be used to treat the client, how the client would respond to therapy, and the effectiveness of this treatment approach.
• Pharmacological approach: If treatment primarily involves the use of medications, explain which medications were used and why. Provide background on the effectiveness of these medications and how monotherapy may compare with an approach that combines medications with therapy or other treatments.

This section of a case study should also include information about the treatment goals, process, and outcomes.

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                                                               BRIEF NOTES

Case Study Method Definition, Characteristics, Stages & Sources

Introduction Case Study Method of Data Collection

The credit of introducing case study method  goes to Frederic Leplay, an English philosopher. Herbert Spencer adopted it and Healey was the first who supported this method and studied Juvenile Delinquency. Later on sociologists, Anthropologists, Ethnologists and other researcher were interested in the study of various cultures by case study method.

Meaning of Case Study

A case study is a comprehensive study of a social unit of society, which may be a person, family group, institution, community or event. A case study focuses attention on a single unit thoroughly. The aim is that to find out the influencing factors of a social unit and the relationship between these factors and a social unit.

Definitions of Case Study Method

1.      P.V. Young. Case study is a comprehensive study of a social unit, be it a person, a group of persons, an institution, a community or a family.

2.      Groode and Hatt. it is a method of exploring and analyzing the life of a social unit.

3.      C.H. Cooley. Case study depends our perception and gives clear insight into life directory.

4.      Johoda. Case study is a small inclusive and intensive study of an individual in which investigators brings to bear their skills and method.

Keeping the above definitions in view we conclude that case study is a method of studying a social unit and its aspects deeply and thoroughly.

Characteristics of Case Study

Following are the characteristics

1.      The number of unit to be studied is small.

2.      It studies a social unit deeply and thoroughly.

3.      It is qualitative as well as quantitative.

4.      It covers sufficient wide cycle of time.

5.      It has continuity in nature.

Stages in a Case Study Method of Data Collection

The techniques and processes of a case study method are given as following.

1.      Choice of a case or selection of a problem.

2.      Description of the events.

3.      Factors influencing study.

4.      Data processing.

5.      Data recording.

Sources of Data for Case Study

1.      Personal documents, viz diaries, memories, autobiographies, letters etc of the researcher.

2.      Qualification and interest of the researcher.

3.      Life history of the respondents.

4.      Motives and objectives of the study.