Question

Design a Study to Test one of the following:

Scenario 3: Anxiety and depression play a role in the speed and quality of recovery from illness. Past research indicates that owning and caring for a pet may counter symptoms of anxiety and depression. There are numerous types of therapy available to ill patients but is owning a pet also a viable treatment for relieving anxious and depressive symptoms?

Clearly identify the scenario you chose. In your response, clearly identify your design, variables, hypothesis, participants, materials, procedure, and how you might analyze the results. This is intended to be a fun, critical thinking assignment. Take it seriously, but also be creative! You do not need to find actual surveys/materials to use, just say what you would assess with questionnaires (if you’re incorporating them).

Answer 1

Hypothesis - Owning a pet relieves anxiety and depressive symptoms associated with illness.

Research design - Experimental research

Independent variable - Pets

Dependent variable - anxiety and depression symptoms, associated with illness.

Two groups of ill-patients are the participants of the study. Each group has 10 participants. Their anxiety levels and depression symptoms are measured before the begin of the experiment. In the experimental group, participants are allowed and are encouraged to own pets, along side their regular treatment. The control group just continued with the treatment and they did not have any pets.

After a period of 1 month, their anxiety levels and depression symptoms are measured again. Any reduction in the anxiety levels in the experimental group can be attributed to owning of the pets. Also, there should be measurable difference in anxiety levels and depression sysmptoms between the group, to strongly conclude about the effects.