Consider The Various Research Designs In Chapter 3

Consider The Various Research Designs Presented In Chapter 3

Consider the various research designs presented in chapter 3. Given the goals and objectives of your social services agency identified in week 2, discuss possible research designs that could be used to evaluate outcomes at your agency. What would be the best design to answer your evaluation questions?

A correlational research design of consideration for Empath Home Health Agency's goal and objective to manage mental health to increase the quality of life with their hospice patients would be correlational. Mental health and quality of life are not manipulated as experimental variables but are examined to identify the relationship between these variables through correlation.

Using a pre- and post-assessment model with the entire population over a 30-day enrollment period from January 1, 2025, to March 30, 2025, initial and exit assessment data are collected without personally identifiable information (Non-PII), ensuring HIPAA compliance within APA regulations. The sampling method involves surveying the entire population, all of whom will receive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Measures are to be used within the correlation study, utilizing bivariate data. The data collection will consider necessary assumptions for validity.

Paper For Above instruction

Evaluating the effectiveness of social services programs requires selecting research designs that align with organizational goals and the nature of the variables involved. For Empath Home Health Agency, which aims to improve mental health and enhance the quality of life among hospice patients, an appropriate and effective approach involves employing a correlational research design supplemented by pre- and post-assessment measures. This combination provides a comprehensive framework for understanding relationships between key variables and assessing changes over time.

The choice of a correlational research design is justified by the non-manipulative nature of the primary variables—mental health and quality of life. Since these are not experimentally manipulated but observed, the correlational design allows researchers to explore the extent to which variations in mental health are associated with changes in quality of life among hospice patients. Such an approach aligns with the agency's goal of understanding natural relationships rather than establishing causality, which would require experimental manipulation that could be ethically or practically challenging in this context.

The implementation of a pre- and post-assessment over a 90-day enrollment period provides a structured means to measure baseline and outcome data. During this period, initial assessments at enrollment establish a baseline, while subsequent evaluations at the conclusion of the intervention period capture changes attributable to therapeutic efforts such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This temporal structure enhances the ability to detect meaningful changes within individual patients, facilitating a longitudinal perspective on the intervention's effectiveness.

Data collection practices are designed to be HIPAA-compliant, focusing on non-personally identifiable information (Non-PII). This ensures that sensitive patient data remains protected while allowing for robust statistical analysis. Moreover, adherence to APA standards ensures ethical research practices are maintained, particularly when handling health-related information that could potentially be sensitive.

The sampling method involves utilizing the entire population of hospice patients enrolled during the specified period. This comprehensive sampling approach maximizes the statistical power and generalizability of findings within the organizational context. Since all patients receive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the study examines the relationship between changes in mental health indicators and quality of life measures across a real-world setting, without the constraints or biases associated with random sampling.

In addition to correlational analysis, the study assumes that the data meet statistical prerequisites such as normality, linearity, and homoscedasticity, which are essential for valid bivariate analyses like Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Prior to analysis, data will be examined to verify these assumptions, and appropriate corrective measures will be applied if violations are detected.

Overall, this research design—combining comprehensive pre- and post-assessment with a correlational analysis—supports the agency’s goal by providing valuable insights into the relationships between mental health improvements and quality of life enhancements. The findings could inform future program adjustments and demonstrate the efficacy of CBT in the hospice setting, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes and organizational objectives.

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