Comparison of Strategies for Stress Reduction - Essay Example

?Comparison of strategies for stress reduction Research is a systematically designed process that is implemented through a series of procedures. Research methods define applied procedure for implementing the research methodology. This paper presents a methods section on my research on ‘comparison of strategies for stress reduction’. Research question An exploration of existing literature on strategies for stress reduction identifies an information gap over the relative effectiveness of strategies for stress reduction. No mechanism has for instance been developed and approved for identification of the best strategies for managing stress, yet this is an important aspect for efficiency of stress management because a healthy mind is required for efficiency in work processes. This paper therefore seeks to answer the questions, Is there a significant difference in effectiveness of different strategies for stress reduction? And if there is a significant difference then, What are the best strategies for stress reduction? Hypothesis The research intends to answer the research questions by testing a set of hypotheses over effectiveness of identified strategies for stress reduction. The following is the null hypothesis for the research. H0: There is no significant difference between different strategies for stress reduction. H1: There is a significant difference in effectiveness of strategies for stress reduction. Number of participants and inclusion criteria The research intends to use a sample size of 89 individuals. This is based on a number of factors such as required significance, validity, and availability of resources for implementing the research methodology as well as experience with past surveys. While a smaller sample size would be economical, it may fail to ensure validity. A very large sample size would however ensure validity but may not be economically feasible (Kothari, 2009). The sampling criteria apply a universal inclusion criterion in which every individual is a potential participant. It is however subjected to an exclusion criterion to ensure elimination of potential bias due to participants’ orientations. A preliminary exercise will therefore be done on potential participants to identify prior exposure to activities or substances that affect a person’s psychological sensitivity. Under the exclusion criteria, people who have history of participation in comedy and drama, as well as individuals with records of consumption of drugs that affects people’s sensitivity to their environments will be excluded from the sample. The sample needs to be diverse to facilitate external validity (Evans and Rooney, 2010). Sample technique and the population The research will use a stratified random sampling technique. Under the sampling method, the sample space is divided into strata and participants are randomly selected from each of the groups. The method is preferred for the research because of its advantages such as elimination of bias as well as the ability to generate a representative sample. It can also be more economical as compared to other sampling techniques. The sample intends to generalize to the universal population of individuals who are exposed to stress (Gravetter and Forzano, 2011). Involved variables The involved variables for the research are stress reduction strategies and perceived stress. Operational definition of each variable Stress defines a bodily response to pressure that it is exposed to. Such pressure may be physical, psychological, or emotional and may be either internal or external. Stress reduction strategies are however techniques that people use to manage stress. Such strategies by include involvement in activities, physical or mental, or restraint from an environment that exerts pressure to induce the identified stress (Kalat, 2008). Measurement of the variables, reliability, and validity of the measures The dependent and the dependent variable will be subjected to different measurement criteria because of their different properties. The independent variable, stress reduction strategies, will be measured on a nominal scale. This is because of the nature of its property that only identifies the strategies. Specific numbers to express their measurement will then identify each of the considered strategies. The dependent variable, level of stress after application of stress management strategies will be measured on an ordinal scale with designated ranges of effectiveness in stress reduction. This is because of the nature of the expected data that is quantifiable in utility though such quantities are relative. The measures’ validity and reliability can however not be ascertained because they are subjective. Data collection techniques The research applies survey technique for data collection. It will use predetermined questionnaires with questions on effectiveness of stress reduction strategies. The survey will be done over a period of time in which the participants will evaluate the effectiveness of applied strategies and respond to the structured questions. Application of the survey techniques will also facilitate retrieval of non-quantifiable data such as the respondents’ opinions over the applied techniques and the variables (Kothari, 2009). Applicable research design The research will apply a quasi-experimental design in its data collection with pretest and posttest measurements of stress levels among the participants. This is because of the associated advantages of the quasi-experimental design that makes it a better option as compared to the more rigid experimental design. The quasi-experimental design, for instance, does not require control and randomization and is therefore easily applicable. It is also more acceptable to research participants because of the reduced resistance, which is common, to experimental design’s control group (Gravetter and Forzano, 2011). Procedure Experimental procedure will involve identification of a sample subject to the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. This will be followed by selection of participants under identified stressful conditions. A rational measure will then be used by the participants to rate their stress levels after which they will be subjected to a stress reduction strategies. A final level of stress will then be determined and recorded. Different strategies will be applied to each stratum and the strata will be defined by the participants’ stressful conditions. Potential ethical issues Some of the potential ethical issues in the research process are “confidentiality, informed consent, and beneficence” (Anttiroiko and Malkia, 2007, p. 736). Confidentiality provides for protection of participants’ identities throughout the research process and in communication of research findings. Informed consent however provides for the participants knowledge of the scope of the research, their involvement, and free acceptance to participate in the research while beneficence provides for safety of participants in a research process (Anttiroiko and Malkia, 2007). References Anttiroiko, A. and Malkia, M. (2007). Encyclopedia of digital government. Philadelphia, PA: Idea Group Inc (IGI). Evans, A. and Rooney, B. (2010). Methods in psychological research. Thousand Oaks, CA, : sage. Gravetter, F. and Forzano, L. (2011). Research for the behavioral sciences. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Kalat, J. (2008). Biological psychology. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Kothari, C. (2009). Research methodology: Methods and techniques. New Delhi: New Age International. Read More