Case Study

Based on the medical diagnosis analogies of statistical errors, explain how the screening tool's results for both students map onto Type I and Type II errors. In your response, explain the conceptual mistake the screening tool makes in each student's case.

Case context: A clinical psychologist is evaluating a new diagnostic screening tool designed to identify Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in college students. In a pilot test, the tool flags a student who has no symptoms of depression as having MDD. For another student who is currently experiencing severe symptoms of MDD, the tool fails to flag them and instead clears them of having any depression.

Question: Based on the medical diagnosis analogies of statistical errors, explain how the screening tool's results for both students map onto Type I and Type II errors. In your response, explain the conceptual mistake the screening tool makes in each student's case.

Sample answer: The first student represents a Type I error (false positive). Just like the doctor who incorrectly tells a male patient 'You are pregnant,' the screening tool claims to detect a condition (depression) that does not actually exist in this healthy student. The second student represents a Type II error (false negative). Just like the doctor who tells a visibly pregnant female 'You are not pregnant,' the screening tool fails to detect a condition (depression) that is genuinely present in this symptomatic student.

Key points:

  • The healthy student flagged with MDD represents a Type I error (false positive).
  • A Type I error is conceptually claiming to detect a condition that does not exist.
  • The symptomatic student cleared of MDD represents a Type II error (false negative).
  • A Type II error is conceptually failing to detect a condition that is genuinely present.

Rubric: To receive full credit, the response must correctly map the first student to a Type I error (false positive) and explain that the tool is claiming to detect a condition that is not there. It must also map the second student to a Type II error (false negative) and explain that the tool is failing to detect a condition that is genuinely present.

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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