My quantitative question in:In young women with bipolar disorder. What is the likelihood
of family intervention, cognitive therapy, and psych education be more effective treatment
than psychotropic medication?
Theory, Sample Population, and Data Gathering Tool Selection
Introduction
As you are now well aware, the literature review is the process of locating and summarizing
studies about a research topic, the discoveries made, and the approach used to make the
discovery. One should proceed in a systematic manner to evaluate the appropriateness of
the approach, summarize the findings, and credit the authors. This discussion will assist
you in applying and articulating the attributes of study design, theoretical framework, tool
selection and population sampling as a critical and ethically charged component of the
legitimate research process, both of which contribute to the limitations of the research and
subsequent findings.
Use the assignment resources and respond to the questions posed in Practical Research:
Planning and Design, pages 167-168 as related to your research question. For your
convenience, the checklist is included in the resources above. Include your answers in your
post.
Your discussion post should use a minimum of three current, professional peer-reviewed
sources (one must be a journal) and be posted by day five of the workshop.
The post should be written in scholarly and scientific writing with use of APA style.
Read and respond to at least two of your classmates’ initial postings and any questions you
are asked in your initial post by the end of the worksop3.2 Checklist – Characteristics of
the Population Being Studied
- Identify the particular population you have chosen:
- Now answer the following questions with respect to the structure of the population:
a. Is the population a relatively homogenous group of individuals or other units?
b. Could the population be considered to consist generally of equal �layers� each of
which is fairly homogeneous in composition?
c. Could the population be considered to be composed of separate homogeneous layers
differing in size and number of units comprising them?
d. Could the population be envisioned as isolated islands or clusters of individual units,
with the clusters being similar to one another in composition? - Through what means would you extract a representative sample from the total
population? Describe your procedure on the following lines: - Refer to table 6.2. Is your sampling procedure appropriate for the characteristics of the
population? - Have you guaranteed that your sample will be chosen by chance and yet will be
representative of the population? - If the preceding answer is yes, explain how this will be done.
- Indicate what means will be employed to obtain the information.
- What are the weaknesses inherent in this method of obtaining the data?
Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2016). Practical research: Planning and design (11th ed.).
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 167-168.
Utilization/research Evidenced -Based Practice
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE 2
Theoretical Framework
The study is supported by Carol Ryff’s model of well-being that states that well-being is
a multidimensional model and not merely about simple positive emotions and happiness
(Harrington, 2012). She stipulates that a good balance of life is essential for achieving a normal
state of health, which is the goal of the management processes in bipolar disorder. The
management of bipolar disorder entails many processes that are either applied independently or
in combination. Family intervention, cognitive therapy, psych-education, and administering
medications are some of the mainstream management of bipolar disorder (Grande, Berk,
Birmaher & Vieta, 2016). The management of choice depends on the psychiatrist’s assessment
of the severity of the case and the symptoms that manifest in the patient. The outcomes of these
interventions also vary.
Study Design
The study will start with a review of the literature published to analyze studies that were
previously conducted regarding the same questions and compare the outcomes derived from each
research. Furthermore, the analysis of available data from various institutions regarding the
psychotherapy of previous cases of bipolar may serve as key information for completion of the
study (Chiang, Tsai, Liu, Lin, Chiu & Chou, 2017). Reports obtained from these may include;
group psycho-education, cognitive behavioral therapy, medication use, family therapy, among
other therapeutic procedures that may be applied to manage bipolar disorder. Since the study will
entail gathering information from various studies and reports, the study design will be a meta-
analysis of previous conducted scientific studies and already published outcomes.
Study Population
The target population will be patients females diagnosed with bipolar disorder aged
between 11-45 years, given that the condition may be misdiagnosed at an early age. These
individuals must be diagnosed by a qualified psychiatrist of bipolar disorder and must have been
through particular management for the condition since the study is primarily based on an
evaluation of the most effective outcome. The right and recommended scales must have been
used in analyzing and identifying the symptoms that the patients have. The availability of at least
on a significant outcome such as relapse, mania severity, and psychosocial function will be make
up the inclusion criteria since they will be used to conclude.
Sampling Method
The population will be sampled using stratified sampling, and these will be characterized
based on any variable such as social class, level of income, or any other variable that will be
found suitable. The categorization may also be based on the management criteria used on the
patient since this is the main concept of interest (Chiang, Tsai, Liu, Lin, Chiu & Chou, 2017).
The representative sample will be randomly selected to avoid any form of bias to the information
obtained during the study. If the actual population is known, Fischer’s formula will be used to
identify the actual study population, if medical records of these patients are to be reviewed.
Data Gathering
A Meta-analysis entails the gathering of scientific findings of a given study for a
particular duration of time. Much of the data will be secondary; hence, there will be an analysis
of already presented work. The data collection tool will be surveyed to the respective institutions
and observing the available data for analysis.
Checklist
- Identify the particular population you have chosen:
Females diagnosed with bipolar disorder aged between 1-45 years.
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE 3
- Is the population a relatively homogenous group of individuals or other units?
It is a homogenous unit since it only comprises of men. - Could the population be considered to consist generally of equal “layers” each of which
is fairly homogeneous in composition?
No. The only consistent factor is the gender of the study population. All the remaining
factors are diverse. - Could the population be considered to be composed of separate homogeneous layers
differing in size and number of units comprising them?
Yes. There are other diversities such as sexual orientation, religion, race, ethnicity, level
of income, among other key variables. - Could the population be envisioned as isolated islands or clusters of individual units, with
the clusters being similar to one another in composition?
Yes. The study will be conducted in different institutions. Therefore, it will be possible to
isolate them into different units. - Through what means would you extract a representative sample from the total
population? Describe your procedure on the following lines:
Given that the approximate population size may be large, Fischer’s formula can be
employed in calculating the sample size to be used for the study. - Refer to table 6.2. Is your sampling procedure appropriate for the characteristics of the
population?
Yes. The population is homogenous and comprises of individuals with diverse
characteristics. - Have you guaranteed that your sample will be chosen by chance and yet will be
representative of the population?
Yes. Fischer’s formula will ensure that a small sample will be chosen from the entire
population since it is more than 10,000, and it may be challenging to handle the entire
population. - If the preceding answer is yes, explain how this will be done.
With a confidence level of 95% and using the 10% as the degree of precision, it will be
possible to determine the sample size for the study. The proportion of the population with
the desired characteristics will be assumed to be half of the desired population hence
making up 50%. - Indicate what means will be employed to obtain the information.
A data abstraction form will be used to collect information obtained from the patient
information available in the data systems of the hospitals and other mental health
institutions used for the study. - What are the weaknesses inherent in this method of obtaining the data?
The sampling method may single out a smaller number of participants, and there may be
loss of important information in the process. Therefore, there is some form of bias in the
process. The method may be time-consuming and costly, and confusion may arise when
the data is being consolidated to obtain the information.
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE 4
References
Chiang, K. J., Tsai, J. C., Liu, D., Lin, C. H., Chiu, H. L., & Chou, K. R. (2017). Efficacy
of cognitive-behavioral therapy in patients with bipolar disorder: A meta-analysis
of randomized controlled trials. PloS one, 12(5), e0176849.
Grande, I., Berk, M., Birmaher, B., & Vieta, E. (2016). Bipolar disorder. The Lancet,
387(10027), 1561-1572.
Harrington, R., (2012). Stress, health, and well-being: Thriving in the 21st century.
Cengage Learning.