Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
How to Develop and Write Hypotheses
Published in Lisa Chasan-Taber, Writing Grant Proposals in Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine, and Biostatistics, 2022
In epidemiology and preventive medicine, the independent variable is termed the exposure variable. This term is used broadly to encompass both risk factors and protective factors for some type of outcome (typically a disease). A common misperception is to view exposures as referring to adverse factors (e.g., cigarette smoking, drug use), but the definition is actually more broad. Specifically, the independent variable is any factor that may lead to a health outcome. In a similar fashion, dependent variables or outcomes in epidemiology and preventive medicine are often diseases but can also be positive outcomes such as psychological well-being.
Linear regression
Published in Ewen Harrison, Pius Riinu, R for Health Data Science, 2020
The last important concept to mention here is confounding. Confounding is a situation in which the association between an explanatory variable (exposure) and outcome (dependent variable) is distorted by the presence of another explanatory variable.
Quantitative analysis
Published in Jeremy Jolley, Introducing Research and Evidence-Based Practice for Nursing and Healthcare Professionals, 2020
We need to be clear about the relationship between a ‘group’ of data and ‘variables’. We already know that there are two broad categories of variable; that is ‘independent variable’ and ‘dependent variable’. The independent variable might be ‘treatment type’ and the dependent variable might be ‘recorded pain level’. However, although this study might have only one independent variable (‘treatment type’), this might be divided into three groups or ‘conditions’ (when these are categories, they are sometimes called ‘factors’). These conditions might be ‘drug-A’, ‘drug-B’ and ‘control’ (no drug). So, here we have one independent variable with three groups (three conditions). These three ‘parts’ of the independent variable are going to produce three sets of data (groups of data).
Experimental Research Methodologies in Organizational Behavior Management
Published in Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 2021
Tyler G. Erath, Azure J. Pellegrino, Florence D. DiGennaro Reed, Sandra A. Ruby, Abigail L. Blackman, Matthew D. Novak
The goal of science is to understand phenomena and their underlying causes – that is, to discover nature’s truths (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2020). The role of the scientist, then, is to discover truths through observation and controlled investigation. Scientific knowledge is obtained through experimentation, which broadly involves identifying relations between two or more events (Kazdin, 2011; Skinner, 1965). A researcher demonstrates a functional relation when one event (i.e., independent variable) reliably and consistently produces an effect on another event (i.e., dependent variable). Through controlled experimentation, a researcher rules out variables other than the independent variable (i.e., extraneous variables or confounding variables) as potential explanations for the observed relation, thereby increasing the researcher’s confidence in the findings (Johnston & Pennypacker, 2009).
Single-case Design Studies in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Scoping Review
Published in Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 2020
Laura W.M.E. Beckers, Rosalinde A. Stal, Rob J.E.M Smeets, Patrick Onghena, Caroline H.G. Bastiaenen
We are convinced that adopting SCD methodology is the way forward for clinically meaningful intervention research in the heterogeneous population of children and adolescents with CP. Many authors of included studies confirmed this potential of the SCD. Gaps and recommendations for using this type of design are also discussed in a recent publication.3 The authors state that single-case methodology could be very useful in pediatric rehabilitation, because it describes the variability of responses within and between individuals. The importance of the research question as leading for the choice of a design type within the field of single-case methodology is underlined, as multiple designs adopting single-case methodology are applicable to CP-research. A typical research question in this field should include a clear definition of the independent and dependent variable: are changes initiated by the independent variable associated with changes in the outcome to be measured? An outcome measure should be able to pick up change over time on an individual basis. However, that still is a point of debate, as responsiveness is not yet investigated for a lot of outcome measure in the field of CP, and the approach for responsiveness on an individual basis is not yet clear. More research on this point is needed. The paper of Romeiser-Logan et al. discusses some SCD examples in an extensive way.3
Physical activity during hospitalization: Activities and preferences of adults versus older adults
Published in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 2019
Jorit Meesters, D Conijn, HM Vermeulen, TPM Vliet Vlieland
Subsequently, a multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether the differences between the adults and older adults in need of information regarding physical activities during and after hospitalization were consistent after adjusting for gender, educational level, and physical therapy during hospitalization. The dependent variable was having an informational need, and the independent variable was age (older adults vs. adults) after adjusting for gender, educational level (low/medium/high), and physical therapy during hospitalization (yes/no). All variables were entered simultaneously into the regression model. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were calculated to determine the association between being a (non-)older adult and having a need for information regarding physical activities after adjusting for potential confounders.