Examples of nonexperimental research designs from Chapter 10

A researcher wants to know why individuals in Community A have a higher rate of a rare form of cancer when compared to those living in Community B. To find out the reasons for the differences in cancer rates in these two communities, the investigator surveyed residents about their lifestyle, noted the types of businesses that were present in the community and searched medical records. The researcher found that the headquarters for the Toxico Chemical Plant is located in Community A, there is a higher rate of cigarette smoking in this community and residents tended to delay or skip going to the doctor for an annual checkup. In Community B, the largest employer was a department store and on average, residents did not smoke as much as residents from Community A. However, like individuals from Community A, Community B residents tended to delay or skip their annual checkup with their doctor.

no manipulation of the independent variables, non-randomization (subjects simply chosen from 2 communities), no control group

descriptions about the existing variables (such as rate of cigarette smoking, location, checkups) similarities and differences among variables

not only assess the current conditions in the community, but to improve health care practices by promoting checkups

utilizes fact variables because it involves occupation/amount smoking and is the basis for program development and interventions for perhaps smoking cessation etc. to prevent the differences in cancer rates (dependent variable)

exploratory survey study of long-term users of nicotine replacement therapy in Danish consumers

basic characteristics, degree of nicotine dependence, health status, contentment with long term use of NRT is needed. The survey study collects information on characteristics of long term NRT user who have used NRT for at least 12 months, reasons for, contenment with

colelcts detailed descriptions of existing variables and used to assess the current conditions/practices with regards to NRT with perhaps therapeutic improvement of health care practices; mix of facts and opinions,

six country immigrant integration comparative survey, the aim was to investigate the EFFECT of three types of contextual effects on immigrant integration (regions of origin, socioeconomic prosperity), aspects of the locality in which they settled (levels of immigrant concentration local unemployment) etc. basically comparing levels of structural and socio-cultural integration of Turkish immigrants in 6 countries with a comparison group of natives. The survey variables asked were: labour market position, education, identification, segregation, interethnic social contacts, religiousity, attitudes about immigrants from the native sample

the researcher is trying to construct a picture on contextual effects, exploring immigrant integration as they naturally occur, testing relationships/differences among variables no manipulation of the independent variable, no randomization, no control group

collects info on existing variables whch ranged from fact varialbes on ethnicity/occupation and also opinion variables by asking native sample about attitudes toward immigrants; data collected via interviews (stillc onsidered survey study)

whether an increase in one variable corresponds to a decrease in another variable the relations between math anxiety and teacher confidence measures

determine if there was a correlation between breastfeeding and test performance among high school students or Correlational study of the relationship between sense of humor and positive psychological capacities. Based on the introduction it is examining the association between the variables of humor and positive psychological capacities. The focus is quantifying the strength and direction (positive) of the relationship; hypotheses: sense of humor/Psychcap positively related, more positive than other relationships between sense of humor and individual psychcap states

descriptive correlational design study to describe the levels of religiousity and health status among middle aged male Muslims and the relationship among these variables.

Predict, reliability/variablity, evaluating theories; Prediction: GPA will be related to Grad school success; Realibility/Validity: correlation in test-retest realibility and concurrent validity; Evaluate theories: Heredity/IQ correlations between twins

One variable with be more strongly associated with another in one direction

predict a later set of data from an earlier set, SAT used to predict college freshman GPA

Shows how correlational designs can be predictive in nature, one variable occurs before another variable (independent variable prior to the dependent variable)

The rate of wound infection will decrease 1 week post discharge after receiving wound care educational program in the outpatient clinic

correlational study/ aka descriptive correlational

examines relationship between two or more variables within a situation without knowing the reason for the relationship

do teens with mothesr who had teen pregnancies have a higher teen pregancy rate themsevles?

searches for relationships in which the values of one variable can predict the values of another (Do certain family characteristics predict the risk of teen pregnancy?); this helps determine whether a risk factor will lead to a certain health condition

Relationship between symptoms and functional performance in patients with chronic obstructed pulmonary disease COPD; and created hypothesis: Positive relationship exists among dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep difficulty in people with copd; Dyspnea/fatigue/sleep difficulty taken together will explainmore of a variance in functional performance in people with COPD than any of these alone

look at quantifying the strength/directin of the relationship/ predictive is __ variable strongly associated with another in one direction

Describe the relationship between EI, psychological empowerment, resilience, spirtuaul well being in undergarduate/graduate nursing students

Pyschological symptoms in menopausal women are correlated contemporatneously with phsyiologic symptoms