<p>There <strong>was</strong> a follow-up to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.179.4070.250" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Rosenhan (1973)</a>.  The whole study was revisited by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.32.2.215" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Scribner (2001)</a>.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The present study is a replication of sorts, modified to suit the contemporary, postdeinstitutionalization state of mental health care. The findings suggest that a significant shift has occurred in mental health care since 1973. At the time of the original study by Rosenhan (1973), the troubling issue was the ease with which people could receive an unwarranted diagnosis and unnecessary treatment for a nonexistent mental disorder. In today's mental health care environment, the troubling issue is the difficulty involved in obtaining treatment that is warranted for conditions that are present.</p>
</blockquote>

<h2>References</h2>

<p>Rosenhan, D. L. (1973). On being sane in insane places. <em>Science</em>, 179(4070), 250-258. DOI:&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.179.4070.250" rel="nofollow noreferrer">10.1126/science.179.4070.250</a></p>

<p>Scribner, C. M. (2001). Rosenhan revisited. <em>Professional Psychology: Research and Practice</em>, 32(2), 215. DOI:&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.32.2.215" rel="nofollow noreferrer">10.1037/0735-7028.32.2.215</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-28T15:05:45.323Z
2018-07-28T15:05:45.323Z
Chris Rogers
<p>The famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenhan_experiment" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Rosenhan experiment of 1973</a> showed that doctors in asylums routinely misdiagnosed normal people with various psychiatric disorders. </p>

<p>Have any followup studies been done to confirm these results? I am particularly interested in any studies in which the pseudopatients did not feign insanity, but act normally during the course of the experiment.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-27T20:30:24.343Z
Somewhat related, Mad Dog's documentary Prescription Thugs (2015) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4505666/ reviews the same results today: If you report psychiatric symptoms (real or fake), then you will generally be diagnosed with a corresponding disorder, and prescribed medication accordingly.  It is often considered an unavoidable aspect of the entire medical health industry.
Arnon Weinberg
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-28T11:39:17.857Z
Yes, the experiment had a huge impact - here's a Reddit thread about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/orf88/how_has_psychiatry_changed_since_the_rosenhan/
Jeremy Miles
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-05T07:33:27.803Z
It turns out that Rosenhan's experiment [may have been fraudulent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susannah_Cahalan#Book_about_David_Rosenhan).
Arnon Weinberg
<abnormal-psychology><experimental-psychology><psychiatry>
Have there been followups to the Rosenhan Experiment?
Tyler Durden
# Have there been followups to the Rosenhan Experiment?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-12-27)

The famous [Rosenhan experiment of 1973](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenhan_experiment) showed that doctors in asylums routinely misdiagnosed normal people with various psychiatric disorders.

Have any followup studies been done to confirm these results? I am particularly interested in any studies in which the pseudopatients did not feign insanity, but act normally during the course of the experiment.

**Tags:** abnormal-psychology, experimental-psychology, psychiatry

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Somewhat related, Mad Dog's documentary Prescription Thugs (2015) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4505666/ reviews the same results today: If you report psychiatric symptoms (real or fake), then you will generally be diagnosed with a corresponding disorder, and prescribed medication accordingly.  It is often considered an unavoidable aspect of the entire medical health industry.  
> **username_2**: Yes, the experiment had a huge impact - here's a Reddit thread about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/orf88/how_has_psychiatry_changed_since_the_rosenhan/  
> **username_1**: It turns out that Rosenhan's experiment [may have been fraudulent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susannah_Cahalan#Book_about_David_Rosenhan).  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-07-28. Score: 2

There **was** a follow-up to [Rosenhan (1973)](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.179.4070.250). The whole study was revisited by [Scribner (2001)](https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.32.2.215).

> The present study is a replication of sorts, modified to suit the contemporary, postdeinstitutionalization state of mental health care. The findings suggest that a significant shift has occurred in mental health care since 1973. At the time of the original study by Rosenhan (1973), the troubling issue was the ease with which people could receive an unwarranted diagnosis and unnecessary treatment for a nonexistent mental disorder. In today's mental health care environment, the troubling issue is the difficulty involved in obtaining treatment that is warranted for conditions that are present.

## References

Rosenhan, D. L. (1973). On being sane in insane places. *Science*, 179(4070), 250-258. DOI: [10.1126/science.179.4070.250](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.179.4070.250)

Scribner, C. M. (2001). Rosenhan revisited. *Professional Psychology: Research and Practice*, 32(2), 215. DOI: [10.1037/0735-7028.32.2.215](https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.32.2.215)


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