What was the main outcome of Rosenhan's pseudo-patient experiment?

The main outcome of Rosenhan's pseudo-patient experiment highlighted how the experiences of individuals can be misinterpreted as symptoms of mental illness. In the study, healthy participants feigned auditory hallucinations to gain admission to psychiatric hospitals. Once admitted, they behaved normally but were labeled as mentally ill by the staff, revealing a profound issue of misdiagnosis within psychiatric settings. This experiment emphasized that the context and preconceptions of healthcare providers can significantly distort their understanding and interpretation of patients' behaviors and experiences. It demonstrated that even individuals without any mental health issues could be subjected to stigma and misdiagnosis simply based on the label of being a patient in a psychiatric hospital, calling into question the reliability of psychiatric diagnoses at the time.

The other answer choices do not align with the central findings of Rosenhan's research. The study did not demonstrate that psychoanalysis improved patient outcomes or that hospital staff could reliably diagnose mental illness. In fact, it underscored the opposite regarding diagnostic reliability and the appropriateness of treatments given to patients.