Quantitative vs. Qualitative Objectives, Questions, or Hypotheses Advanced Nursing Research Essay

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Objectives, Questions, or Hypotheses Advanced Nursing Research Essay

Qualitative research studies differ greatly from quantitative research, although they are sometimes combined in mixed-research studies. To begin with, qualitative studies pose broad questions that eventually lead to sub-questions, while quantitative studies identify specific variables within their hypotheses (Creswell, 2009, page 129). Qualitative researchers choose their research area, such as the perceived benefits of art therapy in vulnerable children, and collect subjective data from a predetermined sample size. In a study titled “Benefits of an Arts-Based Mindfulness Group Intervention for Vulnerable Children,” researchers used a mixed-method design and initially interviewed children between the ages of 8-12 who were involved with child welfare and mental health services to understand how art therapy affected them (Coholic and Eys, 2016). This qualitative approach is used to identify potential sub-questions that can lead to a quantitative hypothesis. In this example, researchers identified perceived benefits through post-group interviews with both children and their guardians, discovering themes related to improved emotion regulation, mood, coping skills, self-esteem, empathy, and ability to focus (Coholic and Eys, 2016). Themes are typically identified and explored in qualitative studies to continually refine their research question Quantitative vs. Qualitative Objectives, Questions, or Hypotheses Advanced Nursing Research Essay.

Coholic and Eys then employed quantitative research, using the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale and the Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents, to test the hypothesis that children would experience improved self-concept and resiliency after receiving art therapy (Coholic and Eys, 2016). The dependent variables include self-concept and resiliency, while the independent variable is art therapy. In quantitative research, specific variables are emphasized in an attempt to establish a correlation between them. Because the research question is narrow, quantitative measures like the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale are necessary to establish statistical significance and establish causation (Creswell, 2009, page 132). In contrast, qualitative research aims to discover, understand, explore a process, describe experiences, and report stories, depending on the type of qualitative research employed (Creswell, 2009, page 131).

References

Coholic, D. A., & Eys, M. (2016). Benefits of an arts-based mindfulness group intervention for vulnerable children. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-015-0431-3

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research questions and hypotheses. In J. W. Creswell (Author), Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed., pp. 129-141). Sage Publications. http://www.gsic.uva.es/~amartine/thai/readings/Creswell2009_ch7-8-9.pdfew profile card for Kathleen Fagan

Kathleen Fagan

Sep 26, 2020 10:41 PM

Brooke,

A very good comparison of research questions and hypotheses in qualitative and quantitative research. Interesting research study examples. Could you elaborate on how objectives fit into this comparison? Thank you Quantitative vs. Qualitative Objectives, Questions, or Hypotheses Advanced Nursing Research Essay.

Dr. Fagan

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Authored by: Brooke Welsh
Authored on: Sep 23, 2020 6:14 PM

Subject: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Objectives, Questions, or Hypotheses

Qualitative research studies differ greatly from quantitative research, although they are sometimes combined in mixed-research studies. To begin with, qualitative studies pose broad questions that eventually lead to sub-questions, while quantitative studies identify specific variables within their hypotheses (Creswell, 2009, page 129). Qualitative researchers choose their research area, such as the perceived benefits of art therapy in vulnerable children, and collect subjective data from a predetermined sample size. In a study titled “Benefits of an Arts-Based Mindfulness Group Intervention for Vulnerable Children,” researchers used a mixed-method design and initially interviewed children between the ages of 8-12 who were involved with child welfare and mental health services to understand how art therapy affected them (Coholic and Eys, 2016). This qualitative approach is used to identify potential sub-questions that can lead to a quantitative hypothesis. In this example, researchers identified perceived benefits through post-group interviews with both children and their guardians, discovering themes related to improved emotion regulation, mood, coping skills, self-esteem, empathy, and ability to focus (Coholic and Eys, 2016). Themes are typically identified and explored in qualitative studies to continually refine their research question.

Coholic and Eys then employed quantitative research, using the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale and the Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents, to test the hypothesis that children would experience improved self-concept and resiliency after receiving art therapy (Coholic and Eys, 2016). The dependent variables include self-concept and resiliency, while the independent variable is art therapy. In quantitative research, specific variables are emphasized in an attempt to establish a correlation between them. Because the research question is narrow, quantitative measures like the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale are necessary to establish statistical significance and establish causation (Creswell, 2009, page 132). In contrast, qualitative research aims to discover, understand, explore a process, describe experiences, and report stories, depending on the type of qualitative research employed (Creswell, 2009, page 131).

References

Coholic, D. A., & Eys, M. (2016). Benefits of an arts-based mindfulness group intervention for vulnerable children. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-015-0431-3

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research questions and hypotheses. In J. W. Creswell (Author), Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed., pp. 129-141). Sage Publications. http://www.gsic.uva.es/~amartine/thai/readings/Creswell2009_ch7-8-9.pdf

View profile card for Brooke Welsh
Brooke Welsh

Sep 27, 2020 7:42 PM

Dr. Fagan,

Based on my research, qualitative methods often do not have a defined objective but rather seek answers to broad research questions. The purpose of qualitative research is to describe, provide explanation to, discover, and similar verbiage to imply that qualitative research is explorative and subjective (Creswell, 2009, page 131). Quantitative data differs greatly in regards to objectives. Within quantitative data, researchers’ objectives revolve around their hypothesis to establish a relationship between specific variables. This can be statistically defined in quantitative research by utilizing measurable tools such as Likert scales and mathematical models pertaining to specified phenomena (Creswell, 2009, page 133)

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Objectives, Questions, or Hypotheses Advanced Nursing Research Essay.

References

Coholic, D. A., & Eys, M. (2016). Benefits of an arts-based mindfulness group intervention for vulnerable children. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-015-0431-3

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research questions and hypotheses. In J. W. Creswell (Author), Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed., pp. 129-141). Sage Publications. http://www.gsic.uva.es/~amartine/thai/readings/Creswell2009_ch7-8-9.pdf

I hope I have answered your question!
View profile card for Kathleen Fagan
Kathleen Fagan

Sep 27, 2020 8:20 PM

Brooke,

Good explanation. Thank you.

Dr. Fagan
View profile card for Chris Kos
Chris Kos

Sep 27, 2020 5:56 PM

Brooke, thank you for your interesting discussion, I really enjoyed that you touched on mixed-research studies. I had been reading on this a little bit and I really like the idea of combining research methods to include both qualitative and quantitative methods to give us a much more enriched research paper. I believe that the two processes can enhance each other and give a more thorough investigation. Almalki (2016) describes this best as, “Mixed methods approaches are outlined in terms of their challenges and benefits, with the researcher offering a personal opinion in conclusion to the paper. The conclusion that was drawn was that provided that mixed methods research was a suitable approach to any given project, its use would yield positive benefits, in that the use of differing approaches has the potential to provide a greater depth and breadth of information which is not possible utilising singular approaches in isolation”(Almalki, 2016).

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Mixed methods can be complementary in that both words and numbers can give us a much more detailed and thorough paper as they’re able to use both types of data. When working with mixed data, we can also work through a paper incrementally working with feedback loops Quantitative vs. Qualitative Objectives, Questions, or Hypotheses Advanced Nursing Research Essay. For example, we can use quantitative methods to help generate a qualitative hypothesis, and sometimes words can help us clarify, in-depth what our data represents. Finally, we can enhance the understanding and validity of our research using both methods. Using multiple forms of data can significantly enhance the validity of our research results (Polit & Cheryl Tatano Beck Dnsc Cnm Faan, 2009). Also, when we’re looking to answer a question, sometimes following one strict method of research will not give us the means to answer that question thoroughly.

References

Almalki, S. (2016). Integrating quantitative and qualitative data in mixed methods research—challenges and benefits. Journal of Education and Learning, 5(3), 288. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v5n3p288

Polit, D. F., & Cheryl Tatano Beck Dnsc Cnm Faan. (2009). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice (essentials of nursing research (polit)) (7th ed.). Lww. Quantitative vs. Qualitative Objectives, Questions, or Hypotheses Advanced Nursing Research Essay