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clozapine

n. an atypical antipsychotic agent of the dibenzodiazepine class: the first of the atypical antipsychotics to be used clinically and released into the U.S. market in 1990. Although regarded by some as the most effective of all antipsychotic drugs, clozapine has problematic side effects that have limited its use. Among others, these adverse effects may include weight gain, sedation, and—importantly—agranulocytosis, which may occur in 1% to 2% of patients treated with the drug. Use of clozapine therefore requires frequent monitoring of white blood cell counts in patients and is generally reserved for patients who have responded suboptimally to other antipsychotic agents. U.S. trade name: Clozaril.

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Psychology term of the day

December 18th 2024

overmatching

overmatching

n.

1. unnecessary matching: the pairing of research participants on an excessive number of characteristics or on characteristics having little or no potential influence upon the outcome of interest. For example, a researcher investigating a new drug treatment for cancer might create two groups whose members are of the same age and sex, administering the drug to one group and a placebo to the other group. Such group comparability would allow the researcher greater validity in attributing any changes between them to the treatment rather than to sex or age differences. If, however, the researcher were to pair the groups on such additional factors as area of residence and household income, overmatching would be present and likely to mask the true nature of the relationship under investigation and lead to statistical bias, such as by reducing the power and efficiency of analyses.

2. see matching law.