[Experimental studies in Polish psychiatric journals].
OBJECTIVE
Scientific studies in psychiatry from a methodological point of view could be divided into correlational and experimental. Experimental studies are based on active selection of independent and dependent variables, attributing values of the independent variable to persons under study and measuring values of dependent variables. An example of the experimental study is a comparison of two therapeutic methods. Experiments are feeble to selection, informational and confounding bias.


METHODS
This review comprises experimental papers published in journals: "Psychiatria Polska", "Postepy Psychiatrii i Neurologii", "Farmakoterapia w Psychiatrii i Neurologii", "Rocznik Psychogeriatryczny", "Wiadomości Psychiatryczne" oraz "Alkoholizm i Narkomania" from January 1998 to December 2002.


RESULTS
11 experimental publications, 6 randomised, 2 probably randomised and 3 case-control studies were found. The smallest study included 14 persons, the largest 180 persons. The number of experimental groups varied from 2 to 4. 9 studies evaluated features of specific methods of therapy and rehabilitation, among them 6 evaluated efficacy of medications. 2 studies evaluated relations between psychopathological and physiological variables. Experiments were based on groups of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (3), alcohol and drug dependence (2), depression (3), insomnia (1), bronchial asthma (1), and hypertension (1).


CONCLUSIONS
The review showed that experimental studies do not form a main-stream in Polish psychiatric journals.
Małyszczak
Krzysztof
K
Katedry i Kliniki Psychiatrii AM we Wrocławiu. durlik@pwr.wroc.pl
Sieradzki
Adrian
A
Kiejna
Andrzej
A
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D018156:Journalism, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011044:Poland; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*