Intermediate
Technical
IVT
double-blind
A study design where neither participants nor researchers know which treatment group participants are assigned to, preventing bias in psychiatric research.
Full Definition
A double-blind study design is a methodological approach in psychiatric research where both participants and investigators remain unaware of treatment assignments throughout the study period. This design is crucial in psychiatric drug trials and behavioral intervention studies to eliminate placebo effects and investigator bias that could skew results.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate when used as an adjective before a noun.
In Context
- "This double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examined the efficacy of the new antidepressant." — Research abstract
- "Maintaining the double-blind was challenging given the distinctive side effects of the active medication." — Study limitations discussion
Also known as
double-blinded
double-masked
Contrasted with
open-label
single-blind
Don't confuse with
single-blind
triple-blind