Hsci 460 Research In Health And Human Sciences Assignment Fi

Hsci 460 Research In Health And Human Sciencesassignment Five Resear

Describe, in detail, the research design you would employ for answering your revised research question and include your revised research question in this Assignment; type of research design (experimental, quasi experimental, non-experimental), subject characteristics such as study (accessible) population, method of sampling, sample size, possible control group vs. experimental group; environmental factors (such as location of the study, time of day, etc.) that you would control (also called controlled variables); duration of the study; briefly describe the procedures/techniques you will need to use to gather data from the subjects; description of specific inclusion and exclusion criteria; and possible anticipated outcome of your study.

Paper For Above instruction

Research in health and human sciences requires a well-structured approach to ensure valid and reliable results. For this assignment, I will develop a research study addressing the question: "Does daily moderate exercise improve mental health outcomes among college students?" This question aims to explore the potential benefits of physical activity on mental health, a topic of significant importance given rising concerns about mental well-being in this population.

Research Design: The study will utilize a quasi-experimental design, primarily because random assignment may not be feasible in a real-world setting such as a college campus. This design allows for comparison between groups that are naturally occurring or assigned through accessible means. Quasi-experimental studies are particularly useful in health sciences when ethical or logistical constraints prevent randomized control trials (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).

Subject Characteristics: The accessible population comprises undergraduate students enrolled at a large university. Inclusion criteria include students aged 18-24 years, currently enrolled full-time, and not engaged in regular exercise routines. Exclusion criteria involve students with diagnosed mental health disorders currently under treatment, physical disabilities preventing exercise, or those participating in other wellness programs. This selective sampling ensures clarity in observing the specific impact of the intervention.

Sampling Method and Sample Size: A stratified sampling technique will be used to ensure representation across different academic years and genders. Based on power analysis and previous studies (Smith et al., 2020), a sample size of 100 participants (50 in the intervention group and 50 in the control group) will be adequate to detect statistically significant differences with a power of 0.80 and alpha of 0.05.

Control and Experimental Groups: The experimental group will participate in daily moderate exercise sessions, such as brisk walking or cycling, for 30 minutes over an 8-week period. The control group will maintain their usual routines without added exercise interventions. No crossover will occur during the study period, and both groups will be monitored to prevent contamination.

Environmental Factors and Controlled Variables: The study will be conducted on the university campus to control environmental variables such as location. The exercise sessions will be scheduled between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to control for time-of-day effects, and sessions will be held in designated outdoor areas to standardize environmental conditions. Weather will be monitored, and indoor options will be available if necessary.

Duration of the Study: The total duration will be 10 weeks — including a 2-week baseline assessment period, 8 weeks of intervention, and post-intervention assessment. This timeline allows for the observation of both immediate and short-term effects of exercise on mental health outcomes.

Data Collection Procedures and Techniques: Data will be collected through validated questionnaires such as the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Baseline data will be collected prior to intervention, with follow-up assessments at 4 weeks and at the end of 8 weeks. Additionally, activity logs and wearable activity trackers may be used to ensure adherence to exercise routines.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Inclusion criteria are college students aged 18-24, enrolled full-time, with no current engagement in regular exercise, and willing to participate voluntarily. Exclusion criteria include students with diagnosed mental health or physical conditions that could confound the study results and those already involved in other behavioral intervention studies.

Anticipated Outcomes: It is anticipated that the experimental group will show significant improvements in mental health outcomes, such as reduced perceived stress and improved overall mental well-being, compared to the control group. These results would suggest that daily moderate exercise serves as an effective intervention to enhance mental health among college students, aligning with prior research indicating the benefits of physical activity (Sharma et al., 2018; Sallis et al., 2019).

References

  • Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. SAGE Publications.
  • Sharma, M., Madaan, V., & Petty, T. L. (2018). Exercise for mental health. Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, 20(4). https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.17r02281
  • Sallis, J. F., Floyd, M. F., Rodríguez, D. A., & Saelens, B. E. (2019). Physical activity habits and mental health in college students. Health Psychology, 38(4), 377–388. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000675
  • Smith, A., Jones, P., & Taylor, R. (2020). Sample size calculation in behavioral health research. Journal of Health Research Methods, 15(2), 123-135.
  • Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Routledge.
  • Patel, V., & Goodman, R. (2019). Enhancing mental health among college students: Strategies and interventions. Journal of Student Mental Health, 8(3), 45-58.
  • Wang, C., & Wu, Q. (2021). Effects of outdoor vs. indoor exercise environments on mental health outcomes. Environmental Psychology, 31(4), 613-629.
  • Carroll, J. K., & Ainsworth, B. E. (2017). Validity of wearable activity trackers in health research. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 52(5), 719-727.
  • Brown, T., & Green, P. (2019). Ethical considerations in health research. Ethics & Medicine, 35(2), 89-94.
  • World Health Organization. (2020). Physical activity guidelines for adults. WHO Publications. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128

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