Question
MSN 602 ADVANCED THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF NURSING PRACTICE
AND RESEARCH
Module 3 & 4 Discussion
Quantitative Design
Read this fictitious study and then answer the questions that
follow:
Brusser and Joansy wanted to test the effectiveness of a new
relaxation/biofeedback intervention on menopausal symptoms.
They invited women who presented themselves in an outpatient clinic
with complaints of severe hot flashes to participate in the study
of the experimental treatment. These 50 women were asked to
record, every day for 3 weeks before the intervention, the
frequency and duration of their hot flashes. The intervention
involved five 1-hour sessions over a period of 1 week. Then
for 3 weeks after the treatment the women were asked to record
their hot flashes again every day. At the end of the
study, Brusser and Joansy found that both the frequency and average
duration of the hot flashes had been significantly reduced in this
sample of 50 women. They concluded that their intervention
was an effective therapy in treating menopausal hot
flashes.
What is the independent variable in this study?
What are the dependent variables in this study?
Was there random assignment in this study?
Is the design experimental, quasi-experimental,
pre-experimental, or nonexperimental?
What is the specific name of the design used in this study?
Is the study design within subjects or between subjects?
Was there blinding in this study?
Provide at least one way in which this study could have been
improved based on your chapter readings.
Here is a brief summary of the data collection plan of a
fictitious study. Read the summary and then respond to the
questions that follow.
Traina conducted a study to investigate the relationship
between adults’ blood pressure and their suppression of
anger. Data were gathered from a sample of 347 healthy men
and women aged 22 to 60 who were members of a gym in Washington
DC. Subjects completed two paper and pencil scales: The
Feeling of Anger Scale and the Expression of Anger Scale. The
scales used a 9 point rating scales. Responses to each scale
were summed to yield a total score for each variable. The
subjects’ BP was measured by nurses using zero calibrated aneroid
sphygmomanometers. Weight was measured with subjects wearing
only gym shorts and a t-shirt on an upright scale to the nearest
10th of a pound. Heights was measured without shoes, feet
together. All instruments were assessed at being below the
eighth grade level. The results indicated for both men and
women higher diastolic and systolic BP was associated with higher
levels of suppressed anger even when various variables were
statistically controlled.
Which of the following types of data were collected in this
study (self-report, observation, biophysiologic, records)?
Were the data collection methods structured or unstructured?
For which variables did Traina NOT derive numeric
information?
Which of the following specific methods were used
(likert-type scale, semantic differential scale, event history
calendar, rank-order questions, Q-sort)?
Which type of data collection was used: telephone interview,
personal interview, web-based interview, or self-administered
questionnaire?
Was readability assessed? At what level?
Provide at least one way that data collection and measurement
effort be improved in this study based on your readings.
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