Change from Qualitative to Quantitative Article

Change from Qualitative to Quantitative - Article Example Tanya L. Rogers (2010) carried out a qualitative study to further explore the aforementioned issue and elucidate the factors underlying success of students enrolled in an entry level nursing program, the findings of which have been described in the article named â€Å"Prescription for success in an associate degree nursing program (Rogers, 2010).† The current study was important as it addresses and underscores a very important issue and adds to the existing body of knowledge in this regard. However, this study has certain limitations which require further exploration, such as the degree of association between the identified factors for success and the academic performance of the students, as this would be a more objective indicator of whether there is any causal relationship or association between the identified factors underlying success and actual success, as reflected by academic performance and test scores. A quantitative study would go one step beyond the qualitative stud y by ascertaining the level of association and the degree of impact of each of the identified factors on the success in program completion and NCLEX-RN results and, thus will help in overcoming these shortcomings in the existing knowledge base. Research Purpose The qualitative study conducted by Rogers (2010) aimed at elucidating the factors underlying successful program completion and the NCLEX-RN results amongst students enrolled in an associate degree nursing (ADN) program. However, a qualitative approach would not enable researchers to objectively determine the level of association between each of the identified factors and successful program completion and the NCLEX-RN results. The best way to elucidate an association between different variables or the existence of a causal relationship and to prove or disprove a hypothesis is to conduct a quantitative study (Shuttleworth, 2008). Thus, in this case, a quantitative study is required which would enable determination of the relati onship between the factors identified for success and actual indicators of success, i.e. program completion and NCLEX-RN results. Informed Consent and Ethical Considerations The informed consent and ethical considerations would be the same as described by Rogers (2010). The study will be conducted after obtaining approval from Institutional review board (IRB) of the concerned institution. Written informed consent will be signed by each participant at the commencement of the study and complete confidentiality will be maintained throughout using pseudonyms for all participants to mask their true identities. Design The study design used by Rogers (2010) was a qualitative study design using interviews and document analysis. The current quantitative study would be a cross sectional study, i.e. observational quantitative study design (Hopkins, 2008).This design will enable the determination of an association between the identified factors for success such as experience, faculty involvemen t, study habits, etc and performance indicators including successful program completion and NCLEX-RN scores. Sample A sample comprising of 6 seniors and 3 faculty members was used by Rogers (2010) for the qualitative study. However, the quantitative study, being cross sectional in nature will use a much larger sample size. The sample size will be calculated using a 95% confidence level and 80%

Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory and Existential Psychology Essay

Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory and Existential Psychology - Essay Example Freud thinks that the human mind is made up of three components—the id, the ego, and the superego. Through his actual experience with mentally ill individuals, Freud realized that unconscious needs and childhood experiences determine behavioral patterns. From these observations, Freud created a theory that portrayed development in the form of psychosexual stages. Freud’s theory explains that as children grow or mature, they move through psychosexual stages. At every stage, the pleasure-oriented drive of the libido is concentrated on a specific body part. The effective completion of every stage results in a stable, strong personality later in life. But if a conflict stays unsettled at any specific stage, the person may stay absorbed or trapped at that specific developmental stage (Mitchell & Black 49). An obsession may arise. For instance, an individual with an ‘oral obsession’ is thought to be trapped at the oral developmental stage. Indications of an oral obsession may involve too much dependence on oral activities like eating or smoking (Cavell 214). Freud believes that conflicts in every stage can have a permanent impact on behavior and personality (Guntrip 33). ... Freud’s psychoanalytic theory had a massive influence on twentieth-century knowledge, influencing the field of psychology and mental health. Although a large number of his ideas are criticized or treated with skepticism nowadays, his impact on or contribution to psychology is unquestionable. Psychoanalytic theory was very influential at the time and until now. Those influenced by the ideas of Freud tried to expand his theory and create their own. The theories of Erik Erikson, who is considered a neo-Freudian, have been possibly the most widely recognized. Erikson’s psychosocial development stages explain change and progress all over the lifespan, placing emphasis on conflicts and social relations that emerge during each stage of development (Guntrip 29). One of the Freudian psychoanalytic concepts that was very influential was the structure of personality—the id, the ego, and the superego. According to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, the mind is composed of two major components—the unconscious and conscious. The unconscious part involves all those external to an individual’s awareness, such as memories, impulses, desires, and aspirations that reside outside the awareness but keep on affecting behavior. On the contrary, the conscious part involves those things that an individual is aware of (Mitchell & Black 48). Freud thinks that the mind is like an iceberg. The visible part of the iceberg, which is the tip, comprises only a small fraction of the mind, while the massive portion of submerged ice embodies the much bigger unconscious part. Besides these two key portions of the mind, Freud classifies human personality into three key parts—the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is the basic component of personality that