Clinical Trial of Tailored Activity and Eating Newsletter With Older Rural Women
Does the report describe an explicit theoretical or conceptual framework for the study? If not, does the absence of a framework detract from the usefulness or significance of the research?
The study uses the Health Promotion Model (HPM) as the primary theoretical model for the study. The study provided the model for the intervention that was used as the dependent variable in this study. The Health Promotion Model is based on the social cognitive theory of Bandura (1986). Bandura's model addresses four areas of cognition that must be in alignment for the change to a place. These are the perceived benefits of the change, perceived barriers to the change, a person's belief in their ability to change, and interpersonal influences that will affect the change. The researcher explicitly explained the theoretical framework of the study to their audience.
Does the report adequately describe the major features of the theory or model so that readers can understand the conceptual basis of the study?
The author provided a well-supported explanation for the theoretical concepts upon which the study was based. The authors provided numerous references and explained how these references related to the current study. They included this in a separate section of the study.
3) Is the theory or model appropriate for the research problem? Would a different framework have been more fitting?
The HPM has become accepted as a standard for any type of health related behavioral change that is desired. This model was the most appropriate choice for this research study as it addresses both internal and external factors that influence the ability and willingness to make the necessary health related changes.
4) If there is an intervention, was there a cogent theoretical basis or rationale for the intervention?
The rationale for the intervention chosen for this study was based on the HPM model. The intervention chosen addressed the targeted change in the women as well as factors that...
The intervention tested targeted newsletters delivered to the study participants, as opposed to general know newsletters delivered to a different group of study participants.
5) Was the theory or model used as the basis for generating hypothesis, or was it used as an organizational or interpretive framework? Was this appropriate?
One of the key shortcomings of the study is that it did not explicitly state the research hypothesis. It stated objectives and primary and secondary outcomes, but it did not state a formal hypothesis in a predictive manner. In this respect it was more of an observation than a true clinical study. The HPM models served as the guiding organizational and interpretive framework of the study. This model was appropriate in that it addressed the outcomes of the factors being studied.
6) Do the research problem and hypothesis if any naturally flow from the framework, or does the purported link between the problem and the framework seem contrived? Are the deductions from the theory logical?
The deductions based on the framework are logical. The HPM model could be applied to many different interventions for the purpose of promoting health related behavioral change. However, the research problem and hypothesis were not explicitly stated in the traditional manner for a clinical study. If one were to use the objective of this study in lieu of a traditonal hypothesis, then the HPM model is appropriate.
7) Are the concepts adequately defined in a way that is consistent with the theory? If there is an intervention, are intervention components consistent with the theory?
The concepts of the intervention follow the HPM model by including the individual factors of the HPM model in the newsletter content. The newsletters addressed behavior-specific thoughts such as the benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and interpersonal support, activity, and nutrition issues. These topics are taken directly from the work of Bandura, whose work is the theoretical basis for the HPM model. The research used…
