Week 6 Discussion 1
This week, you will be submitting a data analysis plan for your research proposal. Share your research questions and research project as well as your anticipated type of quantitative analysis with the class. What quantitative test/s are you going to conduct on your data (t-test, correlation, chi-square, regression, ANOVA, ANCOVA, etc.) and explain why you feel this is the best test. Then, examine at least two of your classmates’ posts and comment on their chosen methods of analysis. Do you have any suggestions for improvement? Are there any concerns regarding their chosen methods?
For my research project on the effectiveness of telehealth in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), my research questions revolve around assessing the impact of telehealth interventions on depressive symptoms, treatment adherence, and patient satisfaction. To analyze the quantitative data collected from surveys and assessments, I plan to conduct regression analysis.
Regression analysis is the most suitable quantitative test for this study because it allows me to examine the relationship between multiple independent variables (e.g., frequency of telehealth sessions, duration of treatment, patient demographics) and a continuous dependent variable (e.g., changes in depressive symptoms over time). By conducting regression analysis, I can assess the predictive power of various factors on treatment outcomes and identify significant predictors of treatment effectiveness. Additionally, regression analysis enables the exploration of potential interactions and moderating effects among variables, providing a more nuanced understanding of the factors influencing telehealth outcomes for MDD patients.
Upon reviewing my classmates’ posts, one classmate proposes to investigate the impact of exercise habits on stress levels among college students and plans to conduct a t-test to compare stress levels between active and inactive students. While t-tests are appropriate for comparing means between two groups, it may be beneficial for the classmate to consider conducting regression analysis instead. Regression analysis would allow them to examine the relationship between exercise frequency (as a continuous variable) and stress levels while controlling for potential confounding variables such as demographics, academic workload, and sleep patterns. This approach would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the association between exercise habits and stress levels among college students.
Another classmate aims to explore factors influencing consumer preferences for eco-friendly products and intends to use chi-square analysis to examine the relationship between demographic variables (e.g., age, income) and product preferences. While chi-square analysis is suitable for analyzing categorical data and identifying associations between variables, it may be limited in capturing the complex relationships among multiple predictors and outcome variables in this study. To address this, the classmate could consider employing regression analysis or multinomial logistic regression to explore the influence of demographic variables on consumer preferences while accounting for potential confounders. Additionally, incorporating other quantitative methods such as factor analysis or conjoint analysis could provide deeper insights into the underlying factors driving consumer preferences for eco-friendly products.