Validity in Quantitative Research Designs

Validity in research refers to the extent researchers can be confident that the cause and effect they identify in their research are in fact causal relationships. If there is low validity in a study, it usually means that the research design is flawed and the results will be of little or no value. Four different aspects of validity should be considered when reviewing a research design: statistical conclusion validity, internal validity, construct validity, and external validity. In this Discussion, you consider the importance of each of these aspects in judging the validity of quantitative research.

To prepare:

• Review the information in Chapter 10 of the course text on rigor and
• Read the method section of one of the following quasi-experimental studies (also located in this week’s Learning Resources). Identify at least one potential concern that could be raised about the study’s internal
• • Yuan, , Chou, M., Hwu, L., Chang, Y., Hsu, W., & Kuo, H. (2009). An intervention program to promote health-related physical fitness in nurses. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18(10), 1,404–1,411.Metheny, A., Davis-Jackson, J., & Stewart, B. J. (2010). Effectiveness of an aspiration risk-reduction protocol. Nursing Research, 59(1), 18–25.
  • Consider strategies that could be used to strengthen the study’s internal validity and how this would impact the three other types of

  Padula, A., Hughes, C., & Baumhover, L. (2009). Impact of a nurse-driven mobility protocol on functional decline in hospitalized older adults. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 24(4), 325–331.

  • Think about the consequences of an advanced practice nurse neglecting to consider the validity of a research study when reviewing the research for potential use in developing an evidence-based

SOLUTION 

“Researchers who conduct scientific studies are often motivated by external factors, such as the desire to get published, advance their careers, receive funding, or seek certain results” (Unite for Sight, n.d., p.1). “As a consequence, a significant number of scientific studies are biased and unreliable” (Unite for Sight, n.d., p.1). There is a large influence of external factors that must be assessed to prevent bias and to ensure validity. Reliable studies use random samples, utilize appropriate sample sizes, avoid biases, and should be conducted by researchers who are not influenced by funding or the desire to seek certain results (Unite for Sight, n.d.).

An Intervention Program to Promote Health-Related Physical Fitness in Nurses

An Intervention Program to Promote Health-Related Physical Fitness in Nurses is a research study to assess the effects of exercise intervention on nurses’ health-related physical fitness (Yuan et al., 2009). The study showed that exercise programs could promote and improve health-related physical fitness of nurses (Yuan et al., 2009).

Dangers to Validity

There are potential concerns relating to validity. One concern is that the subjects were not random (Yuan et al., 2009). Another concern is the lower pre-intervention scores on the fitness indicators in the experimental group may indicate some bias in the process of allocation (Yuan et al., 2009). Most subjects were married and felt they had a heavier workload than the other participants (Yuan et al., 2009). The married participants felt more motivated than single participants (Yuan et al., 2009). Also, the groups were both from the same workplace, which may lead to contamination due to imitation (Yuan et al., 2009). There was no measurable or concrete data for the study (Yuan et al., 2009). To strengthen validity, the study should have had participants from different areas that did not see each other.

Recommendations to Strengthen Validity

Steps should be taken to strengthen validity. Internal validity “concerns the validity of inferences that, given that an empirical relationship exists, it is the independent variable, rather than something else, that caused the outcome” (Polit & Beck, 2017, p. 216). Other types of validity include statistical conclusion validity, construct validity, and external validity (Polit & Beck, 2017). Issues with selection, history, maturation, and testing/instrumentation lead to issues with internal validity (Polit & Beck, 2017). To strengthen the validity of the study, the subjects should have been random. Also, scores on fitness indicators should not have divided the groups. The groups should have been more equally divided by either single or married…..please click the purchase button below to access the entire solution at $15