Research RM AT 1609 - Research Methodologies for Massage Therapy

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed research methodologies as applied to Massage Therapy.

What is the course code for the Research methodology lecture?

RM AT 1609

What are the three components of the course evaluation and their respective weights?

Test at $30\%$, Assignment at $40\%$, and Quizzes ($6 \times 5\%$) at $30\%$, totaling $100\%$.

According to the transcript, why must Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) engage in research activities?

To be critical consumers of research and to engage in activities that advance the profession.

What is the technical term for counting or measuring something numerically in research?

Quantification

What is the definition of "replication" in quantitative methodology?

The process of redoing a study and obtaining consistent results regardless of time, place, participants, or researchers.

Why is "cumulation" necessary in massage therapy (MT) research?

Individual studies are often small, with most MT studies having $50$ or less participants, requiring data from separate studies to be summarized to draw conclusions.

What is the difference between a population and a sample in inferential statistics?

A population refers to all members belonging to a particular category, while a sample is a representative subset of that population used for examination.

What defines a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)?

A specific research design where participants are randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control group.

How does "Quasi-experimental" research differ from experimental research?

It is similar but does not involve the random assignment of participants to groups.

Define "Longitudinal research."

Studying a group of individuals over an extended period of time to examine changes in behavior or attitudes.

What is the focus of "Correlational research"?

Examining the relationship between two or more variables to determine if they are related and to what extent.

List the five sources of bias or weakness in Quantitative Methodology mentioned in the notes.

1. Selection bias, 2. Attrition bias, 3. Measurement bias, 4. Performance bias, and 5. Reporting bias.

What is a "paradigm" in research terminology?

A world view or set of beliefs, often a theoretical or philosophical framework, that guides the decisions researchers make.

Contrast the Quantitative Paradigm with the Qualitative Paradigm regarding "truth."

The Quantitative Paradigm holds that one universal objective reality exists, while the Qualitative Paradigm holds that reality is defined by a subject's personal perceptions.

What is "Grounded Theory" in qualitative research?

A method that generates new theories from participant responses (collected via interviews or observations) through comparative analysis to identify patterns.

What is the goal of "Ethnography"?

To understand the customs or culture of groups of people who have something in common within their natural setting.

What does a "Phenomenological Study" attempt to describe?

Specific aspects of the lived experiences of a person or group and how those members interpret those experiences.

How is the researcher viewed as an instrument in Qualitative Methodology?

The researcher is the primary instrument for data collection, as opposed to the mechanical or numerical instruments used in quantitative research.

Which qualitative data collection method involves a small number of participants in a structured discussion where responses may trigger insight in others?

Focus groups

Identify the four measures used to evaluate the trustworthiness of qualitative research.

1. Credibility, 2. Transferability, 3. Dependability, and 4. Confirmability.

What is "Whole System Research" in the context of Mixed Methodology?

A framework designed for healthcare that recognizes interventions are complex and have interacting components including the patient, therapist, treatment, and context.

In Mixed Methodology, what specific question does the quantitative portion typically answer compared to the qualitative portion?

Quantitative assesses "if" specific regimens work, while qualitative helps understand "how and when" healing potentials can be enhanced.