In this assignment, two studies were selected and evaluated on the basis of the appropriateness of their respective research designs. The first study was conducted by Coleman and colleagues (2013) to “examine the relationship between health-related quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injury and mental health of their caregivers in Columbia, South America.” On the other hand, the second study was conducted by Richey and Hodges (1992) to determine the effectiveness of respite care in reducing caregiver burden. In the study by Coleman and colleagues (2013), a descriptive design was used. This design is appropriate for this study because the study sought to explore the existing phenomenon without manipulating it in any way. In other words, Coleman and colleagues did not influence any of the two variables of the study: health-related quality of life in the participants who had spinal cord injury and the mental health of the caregivers. Besides, descriptive designs are appropriate in studies dealing with the relationship between variables. Since this study is one of such, the design is appropriate.
The study by Richey and Hodges (1992), on the other hand, employed an experimental design. This study has two independent variables and one dependent variable. “Caregiver burden” is the dependent variable while “the presence of respite care” and “the absence of respite care” act as the independent variables. The independent variables were manipulated in the sense that only one of them was allowed in the experiment at any given time. Experimental design involves the manipulation of independent variables and the control of confounding variables to prevent them from manipulating the dependent variable. It is suitable for use in studies that seek to measure the effectiveness of an intervention in producing a given outcome. Therefore, the design is highly suitable for this study.
Choosing an inappropriate design for a given study affects the quality of the findings of the study. In this case, the findings may not be valid. For instance, if Richey and Hodges had chosen to use a descriptive approach, they would have had to compare the level of caregiver burden in cases where respite care is provided to cases in which it is not given. The findings from such a study would not represent the actual situation because many confounding variables are not controlled. Therefore, there is the need to use the most suitable design for any given study.
References
Coleman, J. A., Harper, L. A., Perrin, P. B., Olivera, S. L., Perdomo, J. L., Arango, J. A., & Arango-Lasprilla, J. C. (2013). Examining the relationship between health-related quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injury and the mental health of their caregivers in Colombia, South America. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 36(4), 308-314.
Richey, C. A., & Hodges, V. G. (1992). Empirical support for the effectiveness of respite care in reducing caregiver burden: A single-case analysis. Research on Social Work Practice, 2(2), 143-160.
