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Black-white differences in psychopathology in an urban psychiatric population
Fabrega H, Mezzich J, Ulrich RF.. Comprehensive psychiatry, 1988-05-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The study was conducted in a psychiatric setting that services a large metropolitan population. It relied on the semi-structured Initial Evaluation Form which is completed by expert trained clinicians and which is geared to a comprehensive evaluation along the lines stipulated in DSM-III. The symptoms of a large sample of white and black patients are compared. The study relied on an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) procedure which controlled for age, gender and education and concentrated exclusively on ethnic differences in clinically homogenous subgroups. The sample was partitioned into relatively pure groups of DSM-III diagnoses that are frequent in the population, including schizophrenia, affective and anxiety disorders, dementia, paranoid and manic disorders. Prominent black/white differences in psychopathology were noted, but in only a few instances included items generally thought of as typical of a specific disorder. Some differences appeared to be due to selection factors and others raised the question of alternate expressions of psychopathology among blacks as versus whites. The significance of the results obtained is discussed together with questions requiring further research. Some of the issues involved in the study of black/white differences in psychopathology are critically analyzed.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Fabrega, H., Mezzich, J., & Ulrich, R. F. (1988). Black-white differences in psychopathology in an urban psychiatric population. Comprehensive psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-440x(88)90051-x
Vancouver
Fabrega H, Mezzich J, Ulrich RF. Black-white differences in psychopathology in an urban psychiatric population. Comprehensive psychiatry. 1988. doi:10.1016/0010-440x(88)90051-x. PMID: 3378415.
BibTeX
@article{fabrega1988-3378415,
author = {Fabrega, H. and Mezzich, J. and Ulrich, R. F.},
title = {{Black-white differences in psychopathology in an urban psychiatric population}},
journal = {Comprehensive psychiatry},
year = {1988},
doi = {10.1016/0010-440x(88)90051-x},
pmid = {3378415},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-440x(88)90051-x}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Some differences appeared to be due to selection factors and others raised the question of alternate expressions of psychopathology among blacks as versus whites.
- The significance of the results obtained is discussed together with questions requiring further research.
Why it matters
This study compared symptoms in black and white psychiatric patients and noted some differences in psychopathology, some possibly due to selection factors. It does not test any treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 35/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Comprehensive psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Comprehensive Psychiatry: journal h-index 177 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1988 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 102 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.5 citations a year over 40 year(s) since 1988 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Richard F. Ulrich: h-index 37 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Pittsburgh: institution h-index 1,470 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 3378415) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 35 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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