STUDENT RESOURCES APA STYLE AND WRITING

What Is a Case Study?

Weighing the pros and cons of this method of
research
By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Updated on January 18, 2024

Fact checked by Cara Lustik

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Verywell / Colleen Tighe

Table of Contents

Pros and Cons

Examples

What Types of Case Studies Are Out There?

 Where Do You Find Data for a Case Study?

How Do I Write a Psychology Case Study?

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 many
different fields, including psychology, medicine, education, anthropology,
political science, and social work.

The point of a case study is to learn as much as possible about an

individual or group so that the information 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.

While case studies focus on a single individual or group, they follow a

format similar to other types of psychology writing. If you are writing a
case study, we got you—here are some rules of APA format to reference.

At a Glance
A case study, or an in-depth study of a person, group, or event, can
be a useful research tool when used wisely. In many cases, case
studies are best used in situations where it would be difficult or
impossible for you to conduct an experiment. They are helpful for
looking at unique situations and allow researchers to gather a lot of˜
information about a specific individual or group of people. However,
it's important to be cautious of any bias we draw from them as they
are highly subjective.
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What Are the Benefits and Limitations of Case

Studies?
A case study can have its strengths and weaknesses. Researchers must
consider these pros and cons before deciding if this type of study is
appropriate for their needs.
Pros
One of the greatest advantages of a case study is that it allows researchers
to investigate things that are often difficult or impossible to replicate in a
lab. Some other benefits of a case study: [1]

Allows researchers to capture information on the 'how,' 'what,' and 'why,'

of something that's implemented
Gives researchers the chance to collect information on why one strategy
might be chosen over another
Permits researchers to develop hypotheses that can be explored in
experimental research

Cons
On the other hand, a case study can have some drawbacks:

It cannot necessarily be generalized to the larger population

Cannot demonstrate cause and effect
It may not be scientifically rigorous
It can lead to bias

Researchers may choose to perform a case study if they want to explore a

unique or recently discovered phenomenon. Through their insights,
researchers develop additional ideas and study questions that might be
explored in future studies.

It's important to remember that the insights from case studies cannot be
used to determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables.
However, case studies may be used to develop hypotheses that can then be
addressed in experimental research. Trending Videos

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
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
learning was possible, even after missing critical periods for language
development. 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 denied her the opportunity to learn a language at
critical points in her development.

This is clearly not something researchers could ethically replicate, but

conducting a case study on Genie allowed researchers to study phenomena
that are otherwise impossible to reproduce.

Related: Topics for Psychology Case Studies

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What Types of Case Studies Are Out There?

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

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. For example, psychologists might explore how
access to resources in a community has affected the collective mental
well-being of those who live there.
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 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 case study can contribute
to the development of a psychological theory.

The three main case study types often used are intrinsic, instrumental,
and collective. Intrinsic case studies are useful for learning about unique
cases. Instrumental case studies help look at an individual to learn more
about a broader issue. A collective case study can be useful for looking at
several cases simultaneously. [2]

The type of case study that psychology researchers use depends on

the unique characteristics of the situation and the case itself.

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Related: How Do Cross-Sectional Studies Work?

Where Do You Find Data for a Case Study?

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.

How Do I Write a Psychology Case Study?

If you have been directed to write a case study for a psychology course, be
sure to check with your instructor for any specific guidelines you need to
follow. If you are writing your case study for a professional publication,
check with the publisher for their specific guidelines for submitting a case
study.

Here is a general outline of what should be included in a case study.

Section 1: A Case History

This section will have the following structure
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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.Trending
Explain Videos
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.
Discussion
When you are writing a case study, you should also include a section
where you discuss the case study itself, including the strengths and
limitiations of the study. You should note how the findings of your case
study might support previous research.

In your discussion section, you should also describe some of the

implications of your case study. What ideas or findings might require
further exploration? How might researchers go about exploring some of
these questions in additional studies?

Need More Tips?

Here are a few additional pointers to keep in mind when formatting
your case study:

Never refer to the subject of your case study as "the client." Instead,
use their name or a pseudonym.
Read examples of case studies to gain an idea about the style and
format.
Remember to use APA format when citing references.

2 Sources

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist,
psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology
Book."
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