As they explore the world around them, young children often want to know the “why” and “how” of the things they observe. This is similar to what researchers do when they approach a new problem. Researchers develop new theories or build on old ones to explain the “why” of the world around them. They use models and conceptual frameworks to help explain “how” the processes and events they observe occur. Together, theories and models provide an understanding of the world and allow researchers to explore it in meaningful ways.

Virtually all research questions can benefit from the use of an existing theory or model. Researchers should consider their research questions and select the most suitable theory or model, which then serves as a foundation for the research design. The selection of a theory or model is an important part of the research process.

In this Discussion, you focus on the role of theory and models in research and evidence-based practice.

To prepare:

• Review the information in Chapter 6 of the course text. Focus on the various conceptual theories and models that are currently used in nursing research.
• Select one of the theories or models described that is of interest to you.
• Using the Walden Library, search for and identify a research article that uses the theory or model you selected.
• Reflect on how the theory or model provides structure to the research study described in the article.
• Now, think about an issue in your practice area that you would be interested in exploring through research.
• Review this week’s media presentation and consider strategies for locating and identifying a relevant theory or model for a research study.

Post on or before Day 3 a summary of the article that you located and explain how the theory or model that you selected was used in the research study. Assess the value of basing research on an established theory or model.

Healthcare Programs   Research a local health policy issue that is a hot topic in your state. You can also contact a local county commissioner or state Congressional member in your state to gain insight on the issue or (you may also research local or state government websites or refer to the local news media). On the basis of your research, answer the following: Discuss the implications of the selected issue on the community as a whole. Who all are affected by the policy? Who are the key stakeholders in the development of the policy? Discuss their individual roles in policy development? Explain the roles of those responsible for implementing the policy. Does federal government play any role in the policy development process and its relationship in terms of funding? If yes, explain. If the federal government is not involved in the policy development process and its relationship in terms of funding, should it be involved? Why or why not? Research the policy demographics of CHIP in your state. Also examine the adequacy of the CHIP program in your state. In your opinion, if Medicaid was meant to cover families living below the poverty line, then what is the purpose of CHIP? Illustrate the differences and similarities between the two programs? Every state has its own variation of CHIP. What does your state call the program? Who all are covered in CHIP and what are the eligibility requirements? In your state, if CHIP is meant to cover uninsured children, why are there so many uninsured families with children? In many national healthcare systems, the providers of care are either subsidized or work directly for government-owned facilities. In the United States, the government-operated programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, contract with providers. The VA, on the other hand operates its own system of hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. Medicare and Medicaid set the rules regarding which services are offered and the amount to be paid for those services. Compare and contrast the VA Health System with Medicare and Medicaid. Describe in detail the similarities and differences. What lessons can the programs learn from each other when looking at administration of services and programs offered by recipients? Discuss the implications in terms of access to care, controlling costs, and ensuring quality care.

Healthcare Programs   Research a local health policy issue that is a hot topic in your state. You can also contact a local county commissioner or state Congressional member in your state to gain insight on the issue or (you may also research local or state government websites or refer to the local news media). On the basis of your research, answer the following: Discuss the implications of the selected issue on the community as a whole. Who all are affected by the policy? Who are the key stakeholders in the development of the policy? Discuss their individual roles in policy development? Explain the roles of those responsible for implementing the policy. Does federal government play any role in the policy development process and its relationship in terms of funding? If yes, explain. If the federal government is not involved in the policy development process and its relationship in terms of funding, should it be involved? Why or why not? Research the policy demographics of CHIP in your state. Also examine the adequacy of the CHIP program in your state. In your opinion, if Medicaid was meant to cover families living below the poverty line, then what is the purpose of CHIP? Illustrate the differences and similarities between the two programs? Every state has its own variation of CHIP. What does your state call the program? Who all are covered in CHIP and what are the eligibility requirements? In your state, if CHIP is meant to cover uninsured children, why are there so many uninsured families with children? In many national healthcare systems, the providers of care are either subsidized or work directly for government-owned facilities. In the United States, the government-operated programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, contract with providers. The VA, on the other hand operates its own system of hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. Medicare and Medicaid set the rules regarding which services are offered and the amount to be paid for those services. Compare and contrast the VA Health System with Medicare and Medicaid. Describe in detail the similarities and differences. What lessons can the programs learn from each other when looking at administration of services and programs offered by recipients? Discuss the implications in terms of access to care, controlling costs, and ensuring quality care.

Confidentiality is one of the ethical imperatives that is held in the highest regard by psychologists and clients. Safeguarding information disclosed to psychologists during the course of a professional relationship is something both clients and psychologists alike expect. It is a fundamental building block of the trust needed between psychologist and client. This expectation crosses many types of psychological interventions, including (but not limited to) interpersonal therapy; assessment of children, individuals, and couples; and research with human subjects. Confidentiality is expected in both public and private professional settings and interactions.

Despite such protections of confidential client information, there has been a persistent weakening of these same rights, especially subsequent to the September 11, 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. The passion for privacy needed to be balanced by the right to protect one’s homeland and life (Safire, 2004, p. A27). Safire observed that patients could no longer expect that their mental health histories would remain confidential. This, however, was true prior to September 11, 2001. Clients have long been forced to waive their right to privacy when utilizing insurance to pay for their mental health treatment, which routinely requires transmission to the insurer of client diagnosis, prognosis, and aspects of history. There also are other exceptions that have existed before 2001 and include the following: the legal mandate to report both child and elder abuse/neglect; the legal requirement to warn specified others of a client’s intent to harm; the legal requirement to cooperate in providing records for which a psychologist has received a court order; the requirement to provide information to an employer who has hired a psychologist to assess a client for “fitness for duty” or some other reason (and similarly providing information to the courts from court mandated assessments).

For your first research paper, you explore the significance of confidentiality in ethics as it applies specifically to the following case. Zora, the client in question in the case, is a member of the Thompson family presented in the Week 1 media.

Zora is a 14-year-old, multi-ethnic (African American, Columbian, and Mexican) female who appears older than her stated age. She is abusing marijuana, Percocet, and Oxycontin. In defiance of her parents, she is dating Caucasian college-age boys (which her parents do not know about) and has become pregnant. She seeks counseling at a clinic for teenagers to think through how she wants to proceed. She is unsure if she wants to get an abortion, have the baby and give it up for adoption, or have the baby and join the “pregnant and parenting” services at her school. She hopes to gain clarity about what she wants before she possibly involves her family. The psychologist whom she sees at the clinic is a middle aged, Caucasian woman who is Catholic and who feels conflicted about counseling a 14-year-old who is considering an abortion. The psychologist seeks peer supervision to help her decide how she should ethically proceed. In the peer supervision group is an African American psychologist who happens to know Zora and her family, and figures out from the psychologist’s description that the client is Zora. She is shocked that Zora is pregnant and is very concerned. She wants to talk with Zora, but Zora is not her client and this information was relayed in peer supervision, which is a confidential setting. This psychologist is a close friend of Zora’s mother. She feels extremely conflicted as to what she should ethically do.

To prepare for this Assignment, consider the significance of confidentiality to the above case as you explore the conflicting ethical considerations at play. Consider how your own feelings, beliefs, attitudes, and cultural perspectives might influence how you conceptualize this case and include a brief self reflection on this in your paper.

4 pages and reference, APA format

2. What are the assumptions of a correlated-groups t test?

 

 

 

 

4.What measure of effect size is used for a correlated-groups t test?

 

 

 

 

6. The student in Question 5 from Module 18 decides to conduct the same study using a within-subjects design in order to control for differences in cognitive ability. He selects a random sample of participants and has them study different material of equal difficulty in both the music and no music conditions. The data appear below. As before, they are measured on an intervalratio scale and are normally distributed.

 

Music No Music

 

6 10

 

7 7

 

6 8

 

5 7

 

6 7

 

8 9

 

8 8

 

1. What statistical test should be used to analyze these data?

 

b. Identify H0 and Ha for this study.

 

c. Conduct the appropriate analysis.

 

d. Should H0 be rejected? What should the researcher conclude?

 

e. If significant, compute the effect size and interpret.

 

f. If significant, draw a graph representing the data.