Results & Discussions Lin Critique Part 3
When percentages are reported, are the underlying numbers of cases also reported?
This is article focuses on the use of Forgiveness Therapy (FT) to control anger and resentment as well as depression and anxiety among alcoholic and other substance abuse patients who have been attacked by different people (Enright & Fitzgibbons, 2000). The study is carefully designed as it gives accurate percentages and figures. All the underlying number of cases are reported before giving any percentages. As a matter of fact, the percentages are derived from the reported cases. In the FT study conducted, the percentages of those who went through the therapy successfully were derived from the actual cases that were used in the study.
Are means reported only for approximately symmetrical distributions?
Symmetrical distribution is the situation in which values of particular variables in a given study occur regularly. These values are more or less the same with very slight variations. This is the point where the mode, median and mean occur. Several means were employed in the FT procedure. Among the tools used for this procedure were EFI, BDI-II, CSEI and STAI (Enright & Krahn, 2004). These tools all provided symmetrical distributions results. A high score in any of these tools by a patient indicated a high prevalence of anger, anxiety and depression brought about by alcoholism. The FT therapy produced similar results from the representative samples used by various researchers.
Are the results discussed in terms of the literature cited in the introduction?
The literature cited in the introduction literature asserts that alcohol and other substance abusers have higher levels of anger and violence as compared to normal individuals. Aharonovich, Nguyen and Nunes (2001) say that alcohol and other substance abusers tend to have less control of their anger as compared to those who do not abuse substances. In this introduction literature, the author claims that FT therapy is far more effective in reducing the anger levels to inpatients alcoholic and other substances abusers who have been mistreated or molested before. According to the literature, FT helps these patients recover from their post traumatic stress disorders by enabling them to forgive their perpetrators. This is information is in congruent to the results discussed at the end of this article after the results of the study are presented.
Is the results section a cohesive study?
A cohesive study is one in which the elements of the case study marry into each other with insignificant variations. The hypothesis should follow or not follow the research analysis. Hypothesis can either be proved or disapproved depending on the research design. Any lapse and imbalances within the research design may prove detrimental to the research results. A cohesive study ensures that the most correct results are obtained. According to the various researches that this particular research has cited, there seems to be coherence in the results obtained in all of these research cases. If this particular research was not cohesive, then probably the results obtained would have deviated a great deal from the previous researches. This shows that there was an element of cohesiveness in this particular design though it also has its flaws.
When there are a number of related statistics, have they been presented in a table?
There are a total of four tables in this study. These tables simplify the data represented in the literature analysis. Related statistics in this study include comparing FT therapy with other forms of therapy in helping alcoholic patients who were brutalized or molested in one way or the other (Enright & Krahn, 2004). This data has adequately been represented in this table in a rather simple manner but need a little explanation from the literature analysis.
It is important to have a summary of the contents of a long research at the beginning of a long research project. This is to give the audience an overview of what is to be expected in the research. The summary also gives direction to the readers on how to approach and analyze the research in question. This research has adequately summarized the information that is later elaborated in the research body. One gets an overview of information to expect in the research paper. For instance, this study is about viable therapies that can assist alcoholic inpatients reduce their post traumatic stress levels and anger management (Enright & Krahn, 2004). With this knowledge in mind, one is thus able to go through the research paper gathering supporting information.
The researchers have acknowledged some specific methodological limitations. Their representative sample was a bit wanting since they only used patients in one institution and also had their respondents informed of their study. This means that their data could be altered since the respondents were fully aware of the researchers’ expectations.
The author has strived to discuss the results of this research based on the literature cited. He is in a way trying to present facts to support what has been stated in the literature cited in the introduction.
The researchers has avoided citing new information in this research but has concentrated on one specific source of information. This might have some hitches as other researchers may have a different view of the same topic. But he has adequately given the fine details and the supporting data of the research analysis.
This research is concerned with the inpatients alcoholics and means of rehabilitating them to get back to their normal status (Enright & Krahn, 2004). The research shows the implications of being molested or abused and then resulting to alcohol and substance abuse as a way of relieving oneself. The end result is in most cases disastrous. One requires therapy to help him or her to get back to their normal self and erase the negative memories and encounters. The researcher has therefore adequately established some theoretical frame work and presented data to support it.
The researcher selected an important problem. The issue of post traumatic stress disorder is really affecting many people in the society and especially the youth. Alcoholism and substance abuse is also on the rise due to molestation and physical and substance abuse (Enright & Krahn, 2004). If this problem is not approached and dealt with, it could weaken the fabrics of the society and many people could end up dying immaturely.
The researches were to some degree reflective and cohesive. Reflective because they analyzed the effects of this condition and carried out a cohesive research on how best the problem can be dealt with. The research though does not extend any boundaries in terms of its design. The results of this research though would be a little flawed as some of the respondents who formed part of the representative sample were fully conscious of the research and thus could present data that could interfere with the desired results.
A follow up study therefore should be carried out in which the respondents will not be conscious of the research design but will only be requested to respond to the research questions as a part of their therapy. This will not give room for any lapses as the data presented will be true to the best of the respondents’ knowledge and not answered with an effort to suit the researchers. In this way, actual representative information about this research will be collected.
References
Aharonovich, E., Nguyen, H. T., & Nunes, E. V. (2001). “Anger and depressive states among
treatment-seeking drug abusers: Testing the psychopharmacological specificity
hypothesis.” American Journal of Addictions, 10, 327–334.
Enright, R. D & Krahn. D. (2004). “Effects of forgiveness therapy on anger, mood, and
vulnerability to substance use among inpatient substance-dependent clients.”Journal of
consulting and clinical psychology, Vol. 72, No. 6, 1114-1121.
