Write a response for each discussion.
Loutsch, 2.1
Topic: Stress reduction
Question: Is individual therapy as effective as physical activity to reduce overall stress?
Variables:
Dependent Variable: Stress
Independent Variable: Treatment method: physical activity or individual therapy.
Operational Definitions:
Physical activity: Three 45 minute sessions of physical activity per week where the heart rate is maintained between 50-80% of the maximum heart rate.
Individual Therapy: One 45 minute session of individual therapy per week with a licensed certified individual counselor with focus on stress management/reduction.
Stress: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) which measures the degree to which situations in one’s life are appraised as stressful.
Conceptual definition:
Stress: A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.
When looking at the research to determine if conceptual definitions or operational definitions are of greater importance, it is my stance that operational definitions are more important. Although conceptual definitions are critical to give understanding of what meaning you are focusing on when there are often many meanings of the word “stress”, the operational definition will shed light on exactly what is being measured and how stress is being assessed in the particular research project. “Operationally defining a variable helps others replicate and expand upon your study.” (Efford, 2017, p. 30). Efford (2017) goes on to note that if a term is operationally defined it will allow for the reader and replicator of a study to know that they are studying the same thing as the research project that is being considered.
Parker 2.1
COLLAPSE