Page 295 - DEDU502_GUIDANCE_AND_COUNSELING_ENGLISH

Unit 27 : Case Study

they were trying to deal with a large number of research participants (nomothetic approach) with Notes
the aim of ‘averaging’.

27.1 Meaning of Case Study

A case study is an in-depth study of one person. Much of work and theories were developed through
individual case studies.
In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject’s life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and
causes for behavior. The hope is that learning gained from studying one case can be generalized to
many others. Unfortunately, case studies tend to be highly subjective and it is difficult to generalize
results to a larger population.
The case study is not itself a research method, but researchers select methods of data collection and
analysis that will generate material suitable for case studies such as qualitative techniques (semi-
structured interviews. participant observation, diaries), personal notes (e.g. letters, photographs,
notes) or official document (e.g. case notes, clinical notes, appraisal reports). The data collected can
be analyzed using different theories (e.g. grounded theory, interpretative phenomenological analyzed
using different theories (e.g. grounded theory, interpretative phenomenological analysis, text
interpretation) (e.g. thematic coding) etc. All the approaches mentioned here use preconceived
categories in the analysis and they are ideographic in their approach, i.e. they focus on the individual
case without reference to a comparison group.

Case studies are widely used in psychology and amongst the best known were the
ones carried out by Sigmund Freud. He conducted very detailed investigations into
the private lives of his patients in an attempt to both understand and help them
overcome their illnesses. Freud’s most famous case studies included Little Hans and
The Rat Man.

Even today case histories are one of the main methods of investigation in abnormal psychology and
psychiatry. For students of these disciplines they can give a vivid insight into what those who suffer
from mental illness often have to endure.
Case studies are often conducted in clinical medicine and involve collecting and reporting descriptive
information about a particular person or specific environment, such as a school. In psychology, case
studies are often confined to the study of a particular individual. The information is mainly
biographical and relates to events in the individual’s past (i.e. retrospective), as well as to significant
events which are currently occurring in his or her everyday life. In order to produce a fairly detailed
and comprehensive profile of the person, the psychologist may use various types of accessible data.

27.2 Types of Case Study

• Explanatory : Used to do causal investigations.
• Exploratory : A case study that is 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.
• Descriptive : Involves starting with a descriptive theory. The subjects are then observed and
the information gathered is compared to the pre-existing theory.
• Intrinsic : A type of case study in which the researcher has a personal interest in the case.
• Collective : Involves, studying a group of individuals.

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