Comments on: APA Report Examines Abortion’s Effect on Mental Health

By: Samuel López De Victoria, Ph.D.

Samuel López De Victoria, Ph.D. — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:29:19 +0000

Even though I value quantitative research those of us who have worked with qualitative research (my specialty is phenomenological analysis) know that there is no such thing as a 100% purely unbiased experiment and that “control” is an ideal, not necessarily a reality in experimentation.

I would be curious if the researcher’s personal beliefs were bracketed and some light given on their personal bias in terms of percentages.

Here is a simple definition about “observer bias: found at: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O88-observerbias.html

A Dictionary of Sociology | Date: 1998
Observer bias:
This refers to the cultural assumptions which all researchers bring to their work and which help determine their method of research and their observations. It has been argued by some that all enquiry (including ‘pure’ science) is simply a reflection of such biases. In any event, researchers are usually encouraged to make any known biases explicit in reporting their findings, in order to assist others wishing to reach a judgement as to the validity of the results.

Samuel Lopez De Victoria, Ph.D.
http://www.DrSam.tv

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:43:25 +0000

Some women experience sadness, anxiety, onset of compulsive behaviors, and many other psychological issues after giving birth to living infants! Guess what, researchers: Pregnancy is a major life event and all major life events have psychological risk factors associated with them.

I’m glad the APA was willing to clear the air on this subject and provide some much needed organizational credence to pointing out the fallacy that abortion increases incidence of psychological problems.

By: Conspirama

Conspirama — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:24:00 +0000

APA Report Examines Abortion’s Effect on Mental Health

After evaluating over 150 studies which examine a potential link between abortion and mental health problems, the American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion concluded in a draft report released …

By: » APA Report Examines Abortion’s Effect on Mental Health

» APA Report Examines Abortion’s Effect on Mental Health — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:25:57 +0000

[...] John M. Grohol, Psy.D. wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptAfter evaluating over 150 studies which examine a potential link between abortion and mental health problems, the American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion concluded in a draft report released … [...]

By: » APA Report Examines Abortion’s Effect on Mental Health

» APA Report Examines Abortion’s Effect on Mental Health — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:04:38 +0000

[...] Mission Australia wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptIn other words, any researcher who wants to prove that the emotional stress of abortion directly causes mental illness in women is going to have a difficult time teasing apart and controlling for all these potential confounds. … [...]