Reading research literature effectively

Gance-Cleveland

The purpose of the study was to use participant and co-facilitator perspectives to identify key features, processes and outcomes of school-based support groups (SBSGs). The author wanted to learn whether SBSGs are of value to children of alcoholics (COAs) and what features, processes and outcomes are important in these groups.

The study is qualitative. The author observes SBSGs at two Midwestern high schools using the ethnographic method described by Denzin and Lincoln (2000). The findings were validated by consulting literature and by comparison to the final interviews with a counselor and participant.

The study hypothesizes that SBSGs can potentially improve outcomes for COAs who are at high risk for risky behaviors. The participant variables include student age and experience with these types of groups in the past.

The author uses statistics about COAs and SBSGs as well as a review of previous studies involving SBSGs to establish the importance of the study. The vulnerability of COAs and the lack of social services for these children are established by the author's use of statistics. For example, COAs are four to six times more likely to develop a drinking problem than children who do not have an alcoholic parent. and, although adult substance abuse programs exist, nearly 69% of those programs do not offer services to the children of the alcoholics they serve. The author points out gaps within the research about SBSGs such as small sample sizes and lack of randomization. Also, some studies suggest that experiential processes work best whereas others indicate that educational curricula are key processes for SBSGs.

5. Of the twenty nine references cited in this paper only two are specifically nursing journals. Only five were written in 2003 or more recent and approximately half of the references were written prior to 2000. One article was even written in 1985.

Ridge and Goodson

1. The authors wanted to learn what the physical and psychosocial impacts were of total hip replacement by using functional status tools of evaluation. The authors also wanted to learn if pain is a good predictor of mobility at the time of discharge.

2. The research performed in this article is quantitative. Greenhalgh and Taylor (1997) describe quantitative research as that which examines one clearly formed question using multiple research methods. In this study the authors utilize the sickness impact profile (SIP), the hip outcome tool, and pain and mobility to test functional status pre- and post-operatively.

3. In this study, the independent variables are pain and mobility. The dependent variable is functional status. The patient's perception of his/her illness depends on his/her level of pain and ability to ambulate. The research hypothesis is that functional status improves post-operatively.