Dr. Axworthy is conducting a test of a new treatment for borderline personality disorder. One randomly determined group of people suffering from the disorder receives the new treatment. To control for client expectations, another group receives a psychotherapy treatment that has consistently been shown not to be effective. Which of the following most accurately classifies this second group of study participants?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This second group is receiving a treatment that is not expected to be effective, serving as a placebo to control for the psychological effect of receiving any treatment. This makes it a placebo control group, as it helps to isolate the effects of the new treatment by comparing it to a group that believes they are being treated but are not receiving the effective treatment.

Dr Axworthy Is Conducting a Test of a New Treatment