This refers to a type of scientific experiment designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention (such as a drug, treatment, or behavioural program) by minimising bias and ensuring the reliability of results.
In an RCT:
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Participants are randomly assigned to one or more groups, usually an experimental group (receiving the intervention being tested) and a control group (receiving a standard treatment, placebo, or no intervention).
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Randomisation ensures that the groups are comparable at the start of the trial, reducing selection bias and confounding variables.
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After the intervention period, outcomes are measured and compared across groups to determine the intervention's effect.
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Some RCTs are blinded, meaning participants, researchers, or both do not know which treatment group individuals belong to, preventing conscious or unconscious influence on results.
RCTs are considered the gold standard in clinical and public health research for establishing causal relationships between interventions and outcomes.
Sources: SAMHSA_NCBI; HRB