EBP Exam 1
Which type of variable reflects the outcomes of a research study? a. Dependent b. Independent c. Control d. Extraneous
dependent
In a normal distribution, it is equally likely that a score will fall 2 standard deviations above the mean or that it will fall 1 standard deviation above the mean. a. True b. False
false
Random sampling is employed in most rehabilitation research because of its power to enhance external validity. a. True b. False
false
When the median is the appropriate measure of central tendency, differences in the median between two groups are still examined using an independent sample t-test. a. True b. False
false
When a study has very good internal validity, it is most likely to also: a. lack a control group. b. have limited ecological validity. c. have a small sample size.
have limited ecological validity
In a randomized controlled trial examining a weight-loss intervention, some of the participants in the intervention group learned about a walking group in their neighborhood and several started participating. This presents a threat to which type of validity? a. Maturation b. Assignment/selection c. Hawthorne effect d. History
history
In a normal distribution, the mean, median, and mode are all the same value. a. True b. False
true
It is more desirable to have a small confidence interval than a large confidence interval. a. True b. False
true
It is possible for a nonrandomized controlled trial to have better internal validity than a randomized controlled trial. a. True b. False
true
It is possible to have more than one independent variable in a study. a. True b. False
true
Peer-reviewed studies provide a higher standard of reporting than studies that are not peer reviewed. a. True b. False
true
When study participants are different from the intended population, this error is called: a. sampling error. b. measurement error. c. Type I error. d. Type II error.
type 1 error
When conducting a t-test, if all other factors are equal, there is more likely to be a difference between groups if: a. variability is small. b. the sample size is small. c. the effect size is small. d. the mean difference between groups is small.
variability is small
The dependent sample t-test is best described as a: a. within-group comparison. b. between-group comparison. c. interaction effect. d. relationship between variables.
within-group comparison
To search on the term task-oriented, how should you enter the words? a. Task oriented b. Task-oriented c. "Task-oriented" d. Task oriented*
"Task-Oriented"
The direction of a correlation is expressed as: a. r. b. + or -. c. R2. d. P.
+ or -
In a linear regression, depression is identified as a predictor of quality of life, with r = 0.3. What is the amount of variance left unaccounted for in this finding? a. 0.70 b. 0.91 c. 0.10 d. 0.09
0.91
What is the median for the following data set? 8 8 9 10 11 11 11 12 a. 10 b. 10.5 c. 11 d. 11.5
10.5
A study examining the reliability of a motor function measure would answer what type of question? a. Efficacy b. Descriptive c. Relational d. Assessment e. Qualitative
Assesment
Which database provides the most efficient search of studies specific to allied health? a. PubMed b. Google Scholar c. Cochrane Library d. CINAHL
CINAHL
Which of the following is NOT a useful practice to enhance the external validity of a study? a. Random sampling b. Replication c. Large sample sizes d. Exclusion of participants with comorbidities
Exclusion of participants with comorbidities
In a study designed to increase regular toothbrushing, the experimental group receives a one-hour session that combines education and motivational interviewing, and the control group receives a one-hour session on how to increase one's fiber intake. The design controls for what threat to validity? a. Instrumentation effects b. Compensatory equalization of treatment c. Compensatory demoralization d. Hawthorne effect
Hawthorne Effect
Blinding of participants is most useful as a protection against which threat to validity? a. Attrition b. Instrumentation c. Hawthorne effect Regression to the mean
Hawthorne effect
In a study of an intervention that is designed to improve handwriting skills, the intervention group receives time and attention from an occupational therapist, and the control group does not see an occupational therapist. This threat to validity is often referred to as: a. maturation. b. assignment/selection. c. Hawthorne effect. d. regression to the mean.
Hawthorne effect
A systematic review of six randomized controlled trials finds that kinesiotaping is no more effective than sham approaches for addressing musculoskeletal injuries. This represents what level of evidence? a. I b. II c. III d. IV e. V
I
Which organization is responsible for the oversight of ethical animal research? a. IRB b. IACUC c. NIH d. AOTA
IACUC
Which of the following actions is NOT consistent with evidence-based practice? a. The ability to justify your practice based on an accumulation of evidence from multiple sources b. Use of clinical experience to determine how to apply the research evidence to your practice c. Collaboration with the client to make decisions about whether to utilize an intervention that is supported by research evidence d. Justification of a clinical practice based on the culture and habits of an institution
Justification of a clinical practice based on the culture and habits of an institution
Which type of research is most appropriate for answering questions related to incidence and prevalence? a. Experimental b. Nonexperimental c. Qualitative d. Basic
Nonexperimental
There is evidence that men are less likely than women to take advantage of preventive interventions. Knowing this, which of the following protections would be most helpful? a. Participant matching to ensure that the gender distribution is the same across groups b. Blinding of the testers c. Use of a pretest d. Ensuring that the control group receives equal attention
Participant matching to ensure that the gender distribution is the same across groups
Which database provides the full text of all citations? a. PubMed b. PubMed Central c. CINAHL d. OTSeeker/PEDro
PubMed Central
Which type of research question is used to address questions related to meaning and the lived experience? a. Efficacy b. Descriptive c. Relational d. Assessment e. Qualitative
Qualitative
A study finds that the correlation between negative symptoms and problem-solving skills in people with schizophrenia is r = 0.40. A multiple linear regression is then conducted to determine the unique variance of negative symptoms as a predictor of problem-solving skills when the side effects of medication, depressive symptoms, and age are taken into account. Which of the following R2 values is a realistic outcome for that unique variance? a. R2 = 0.40 b. R2 = 0.16 c. R2 = 0.09 d. R2 = ‑0.16
R2 = 0.09
A single group pretest/posttest design finds that a computer-based intervention using cognitive behavioral therapy principles is effective in reducing trauma symptoms for veterans. Which of the following follow-up studies would be most useful in increasing the strength of the evidence for this intervention? a. Following up with the participants in this study to determine if their improvements were maintained b. Conducting another study that replicates the same design c. Using a single-subject design with a new sample d. Using a randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of this intervention as compared with a control group
Using a randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of this intervention as compared with a control group
A highly experienced therapist tells you about his success with the use of TENS for the treatments of osteoarthritic knee pain. This information would be considered what level of evidence? a. II b. III c. IV d. V e. VI
VI
A study compares a computer error reduction therapy with a control computer condition for improving apraxia in individuals with stroke. Speech accuracy and fluency are measured as outcomes. Speech accuracy and fluency are: a. an independent variable. b. a dependent variable. c. a control variable. d. an extraneous variable.
a dependent variable
Procedures used to protect internal validity often conflict with external validity, and vice versa. Recognizing this conflict, the process of examining the efficacy of an intervention from both an internal and external validity perspective usually includes: a. an emphasis on internal validity first and then a move toward external validity. b. an emphasis on external validity first and then a move toward internal validity. c. simultaneous efforts to maximize internal and external validity.
an emphasis on internal validity first and then a move toward external validity
In a pretest/ posttest design without a control group, which threat is protected against? a. Maturation b. History c. Attrition/mortality d. Assignment
assignment
If you conduct a study over a very long period of time (e.g., 2 years), which threat to validity would be of particular concern? a. Compensatory equalization of treatment b. Compensatory demoralization c. Attrition/mortality d. Selection
attrition/mortality
In rehabilitation research, it is typically easier to provide what type of blinding? a. Blinding of testers b. Blinding of intervention leaders c. Blinding of participants
blinding of testers
Which statistic is particularly useful in determining if research findings are stable or reproducible? a. Confidence interval b. Effect size c. Statistical significance d. Correlation
confidence interval
One benefit of a large sample is that it: a. decreases the likelihood of making a Type I error. b. protects against threats to validity associated with maturation. c. eliminates the need to replicate of the study. d. enhances the external validity of the study.
enhances the external validity of the study
In an effectiveness study, which type of validity is stressed? a. Internal validity b. External validity c. Internal and external validity are equally important
external validity
A lower score on a national certification exam is associated with a lower GPA. This is an example of a negative correlation. a. True b. False
false
A randomized controlled trial is the strongest research design because it provides protection against all threats to validity. a. True b. False
false
A study examining a single-session errorless learning intervention for teaching face-name recognition for individuals with Alzheimer's disease is conducted using a single group, pretest/posttest design. Participants were tested immediately following a 30-minute intervention. With this study, you would have concerns about threats due to maturation. a. True b. False
false
For random assignment to occur, first there must be random sampling. a. True b. False
false
McMahon (2014) studied elite senior athletes and the incidence of shoulder pain. The study found that the odds ratio for rotator cuff injury and shoulder pain was 8.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.0-62.5). This means that: a. individuals with a rotator cuff injury were 8 times more likely to experience shoulder pain. b. shoulder pain was present in 80% of individuals with rotator cuff injury. c. rotator cuff injuries are uncommon in elite senior athletes. d. 8 out of 10 individuals with rotator cuff injury experienced shoulder pain.
individuals with a rotator cuff injury were 8 times more likely to experience shoulder pain
Randomized controlled trials are generally recognized as the strongest evidence for a single study examining the efficacy of an intervention. The randomized controlled trial places its emphasis on: a. internal validity. b. external validity. c. internal and external validity are equally important.
internal validity
The "Nun Study" is a long-term study examining the effects of aging. It is so called because the participants are nuns who have lived a similar lifestyle for most of their adult lives. This study's strength lies in its: a. internal validity. b. external validity.
internal validity
Which of the following is a statistical analysis that would be useful in identifying predictors of a rehabilitation outcome? a. ANCOVA b. Spearman correlation c. Linear regression d. Pearson product moment correlation
linear regression
A researcher is interested in determining what factors are most associated with suicide risk in returning veterans. The outcome measure is whether the individual has made a suicide attempt, and predictors include previous psychiatric history, combat exposure, number of deployments, marital status, age, and gender. What analysis would be used to identify the strongest predictors? a. Pearson product moment correlation b. Independent sample t-test c. Linear regression d. Logistic regression
logistic regression
A researcher is unable to use random assignment and must designate one clinic as the experimental setting and a second clinic as the control setting. The best approach to enhance the internal validity of the study would be to: a. choose two very dissimilar settings in terms of client demographics. b. match participants in the two settings on important client characteristics. c. eliminate the control setting and use a pretest/posttest design without a control group. d. increase the sample size of the study.
match participants in the two settings on important client characteristics
Many studies conducted in academic settings do not use a control group. These studies are particularly susceptible to which of the following threats? a. Assignment/selection b. Instrumentation c. Maturation d. Attrition/mortality
maturation
The graph that is used to display the results of a correlation is called a: a. frequency distribution. b. pie chart. c. scatterplot. d. bar graph.
scatterplot
Initial studies often find positive effects that cannot necessarily be replicated in real-world clinical settings. This suggests that the initial studies had: a. poor internal validity. b. poor external validity. c. poor statistical conclusion validity. d. no problems with validity.
poor external validity
If the relationship of grip strength and arm strength is expressed as r = 0.79, this would be what type of relationship? a. No relationship b. Positive relationship c. Negative relationship d. Curvilinear relationship
positive relationship
Which letter(s) is used to represent the results of a correlation? a. p b. s c. r d. z
r
Participants in a study on weight loss are asked to record what they eat each day, and this record is used as a measure in the study. It is possible that participants lose weight because they are keeping a record, and not because of the intervention. This is an example of what threat to validity? a. Maturation b. Regression to the mean c. Testing d. Selection
testing
In a t-test, the t represents: a. the obtained t-value. b. the exact probability of rejecting a null hypothesis when it is true. c. the p value. d. the alpha level.
the obtained t-value
1. Studies that rank higher on the levels-of-evidence hierarchy tend to have greater internal validity than studies that are lower on the hierarchy. a. True b. False
true
A poor response rate has a negative effect on the external validity of a study. a. True b. False
true
A randomized controlled trial with a pretest and posttest protects against maturation threats to validity. a. True b. False
true
A study that has good external validity is also a study with good generalizability. a. True b. False
true
Drug studies are typically easier to control than rehabilitation studies because of the issues related to blinding. a. True b. False
true
Generally speaking, quasi-experimental designs have stronger internal validity than pretest/posttest designs without a control group. a. True b. False
true
When searching for studies on energy conservation, it would be best to enter the term as: a. Energy AND conservation b. Energy OR conservation c. Energy NOT conservation d. "Energy conservation"
"energy conservation"
Which of the following studies would be the highest level of evidence for efficacy of cognitive remediation? a. A study in which individuals are randomly assigned to cognitive remediation or usual care b. A pretest/posttest of a single group that receives cognitive remediation c. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of cognitive remediation d. A study in which two groups are compared; one group receives cognitive remediation, and the other group receives standard care
A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of cognitive remediation
If you are looking for studies related to therapy practices in an educational setting, which database would be the most relevant? a. Cochrane Library b. ERIC c. NARIC d. SportsDiscus
ERIC
A randomized controlled trial is considered the highest level of evidence for a single study and is ranked at what level? a. I b. II c. III d. IV e. V
II
Which organization is responsible for the oversight of ethical human subjects research? a. IRB b. IACUC c. NIH d. AOTA
IRB
A study of 50 individuals who participate in a vestibular rehabilitation program examines balance outcomes before and after the intervention. This study would be rated as what level of evidence? a. I b. II c. III d. IV e. V
IV
Which of the following is the best example of qualitative research? a. Learning about the daily life experience of caregivers from the caregiver's perspective b. Examining the efficacy of a caregiver intervention c. Comparing caregivers and noncaregivers on a quality-of-life measure d. Studying the relationship between caregiving and physical health
Learning about the daily life experience of caregivers from the caregiver's perspective
The external evidence component of evidence-based practice typically provides which type of information about an intervention? a. How to apply the evidence in your particular situation b. Whether or not an intervention is effective in a controlled context c. How the intervention relates to the client's situation and values d. Whether an intervention is more effective than emerging practices
Whether or not an intervention is effective in a controlled context
Which of the following is the best illustration of a qualitative question? a. For people with stroke, what is the efficacy of constraint-induced therapy as compared with standard care for improving motor performance? b. Which individuals with stroke are the best candidates for constraint- induced therapy? c. Which motor assessments are most sensitive to changes following constraint-induced therapy? d. What is the experience of constraint-induced therapy from the perspective of the individual receiving the treatment?
What is the experience of constraint-induced therapy from the perspective of the individual receiving the treatment?
The source of funding of a research article is typically found in which of the following sections? a. Methods b. Results c. Discussion d. Acknowledgements
acknowledgemens
Which function should you use if you want to search for the work of a particular author? a. Boolean operator b. Limits c. Advanced Search d. Filter
advanced search
A single, well-designed randomized controlled trial with positive results proves that the intervention is effective. a. True b. False
false
All citations listed in CINAHL are peer reviewed. a. True b. False
false
All databases provide abstracts to the general public free of charge. a. True b. False
false
An evidence-based practitioner discourages clients from doing their own Web-based research. a. True b. False
false
Evidence-based practice requires that practitioners avoid any approach that is not backed by research.
false
If a database is free to the public, the corresponding full-text articles abstracted in the database will also be free to the public. a. True b. False
false
If the results of an intervention study indicate that the intervention group had significantly better outcomes than the control group, there is no doubt that intervention caused the positive results. a. True b. False
false
If you consistently have good outcomes with a particular intervention approach, there is little reason to examine the research evidence related to this approach.
false
In the results section, the researcher speculates as to why a particular finding occurred. a. True b. False
false
Individual testimonials enhance the credibility of a website. a. True b. False
false
Nonexperimental research avoids the use of numbers and statistics in its analysis. a. True b. False
false
Practitioners can usually find research to answer all of their clinical questions if they just look hard enough.
false
Publishing the same findings in two different journal articles is an ethical process which ensures that more individuals will have access to the information. a. True b. False
false
Selecting the filter of full free text will give you the most relevant studies available to answer your research question. a. True b. False
false
Studies that are designed to answer descriptive questions are less valid than studies that are designed to answer efficacy questions. a. True b. False
false
The authors of a research article are listed in alphabetical order. a. True b. False
false
The levels of evidence for efficacy research could also be applied to a study designed to describe the secondary medical conditions of individuals with spinal cord injury. a. True b. False
false
The peer-review process eliminates the bias that arises because profit-making industries tend to publish only positive outcomes of the research they support. a. True b. False
false
Websites that represent a profit-making enterprise are generally more reliable than those sponsored by nonprofit organizations. a. True False
false
When a hypothesis is confirmed, this means that the study proves that the prediction is accurate. a. True b. False
false
A study describes a sample as 62 percent female. This percentage is an example of what type of statistic? a. Frequency b. Mode c. Range d. Standard deviation
frequency
Which measure of central tendency is the same as the average? a. Mean b. Median c. Mode d. Range
mean
Which type of research does not use statistics to determine the results? a. Experimental b. Nonexperimental c. Applied d. Qualitative
qualitative
Which type of research emphasizes the discovery of the meaning of particular phenomena? a. Experimental b. Nonexperimental c. Qualitative d. Basic research
qualitative
Where would you find the limitations of a study? a. Introduction b. Methods c. Results d. Discussion
discussion
In making decisions about which intervention to select, the best type of question would be which of the following? a. Efficacy b. Descriptive c. Relational d. Assessment e. Qualitative
efficacy
Levels-of-evidence hierarchies should be used to evaluate the strength of what type of studies? a. Efficacy b. Descriptive c. Relational d. Assessment e. All of the above
efficacy
A method you can use to broaden your search is to: a. use the article type filter. b. select articles with your term in the title. c. examine the related citations in PubMed. d. use the AND Boolean operator.
examine the related citations in PubMed
An intervention study that includes random assignment to groups and a control group would best be described as what type of research? a. Experimental b. Quasi-experimental c. Nonexperimental d. Qualitative
experimental
Individuals are randomly assigned to receive traditional gait training or gait training with rhythmic auditory cueing. This is an example of which type of research? a. Experimental b. Quasi-experimental c. Nonexperimental d. Qualitative
experimental
Which type of study has independent and dependent variables? a. Experimental b. Descriptive c. Qualitative d. Relationship
experimental
Individuals were randomly assigned to either a telehealth or face-to-face version of the Camperdown speech therapy intervention for stuttering. Both groups improved in terms of frequency of stuttering. The independent variable in this study is: a. Camperdown speech therapy. b. telehealth vs. face-to-face-intervention. c. frequency of stuttering. d. random assignment.
telehealth vs. face-to-face-intervention
A cross-sectional study is superior to a longitudinal study for making inferences about changes that occur as individuals get older. a. True b. False
false
A qualitative study has independent and dependent variables. a. True b. False
false
Errorless learning interventions used today with individuals with learning disabilities, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia were informed by early research using errorless approaches to teach pigeons how to discriminate between different colors. This early research would best be described as: a. nonexperimental. b. qualitative. c. basic. d. applied.
basic
In a study examining the impact of different conditions on time seated, one group of children participated. In one condition they wore a weighted vest, in another they wore an unweighted vest, and in the third condition they were sitting on balls. The dependent measure (time seated) was measured once while the children were exposed to the condition. This is best described as a: a. within-group comparison. b. between-group comparison. c. interaction effect. d. between-group comparison.
between-group comparison
A factorial study examining the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation in individuals with traumatic brain injury includes two groups: a control group that receives no treatment and a treatment group that receives cognitive rehabilitation. The effectiveness of the program for men and women is compared in terms of their improvement on a measure of cognition (e.g., attention, memory, problem solving). The dependent variable in this study is: a. gender. b. cognitive rehabilitation. c. cognition. d. traumatic brain injury.
cognition
A study matches individuals by age and gender to help ensure equality of groups. Age is what type of variable? a. Independent b. Dependent c. Control d. Extraneous
control
The practice implications of a study are included in what section of a research article? a. Introduction b. Methods c. Results d. Discussion
discussion
In 2007, three homes sold in a Phoenix neighborhood for $230,000, $250,000, and $270,000. In 2009, three homes sold in the same neighborhood, two at foreclosure for $100,000 and one really nice home for $550,000. Which measure would best be used to compare home costs in 2007 and 2009? a. Mean b. Median c. Mode d. Standard deviation
median
In a sample of students at a particular university, the median age is larger than the mean age. This suggests that there are: a. the same number of people whose age is higher than the median age and mean age. b. more people who are older than the mean age than there are younger than the mean age. c. more people who are younger than the mean age than there are older than the mean age.
more people who are older than the mean age than there are younger than the mean age
A study that examines the percentage of spinal cord injuries caused by trampoline use would best be classified as: a. experimental. b. quasi-experimental. c. nonexperimental. d. qualitative.
nonexperimental
A study that seeks to identify the percentage of occupational therapists that are men would be: a. experimental. b. quasi-experimental. c. nonexperimental. d. qualitative.
nonexperimental
A survey used to determine intervention preferences for individuals with seizure disorder would be classified as what type of research? a. Experimental b. Quasi-experimental c. Nonexperimental d. Qualitative
nonexperimental
A study seeks to determine if there is a difference in cognitive abilities among individuals with autism, individuals with ADHD, and individuals with learning disabilities. What type of research is this? a. Qualitative research b. Experimental research c. Nonexperimental research d. Quasi-experimental research
nonexperimental research
A table with four different outcome measures presents the following means and standard deviations (the standard deviations are in parentheses): · Time to complete (in seconds)—94 (55.3) · Number of errors—3 (8.3) · Number correct—20 (10.5) · Times out of seat—2 (1.4) Taking the means into account, which outcome measure had the greatest variability? a. Time to complete b. Number of errors c. Number correct d. Time out of seat
number of errors
In a retrospective study, researchers examine medical records and compare individuals who received a flu vaccine with those who did not to determine if the vaccine was effective in reducing the number of office visits that year. This is an example of what type of research? a. Experimental b. Quasi-experimental c. Nonexperimental d. Qualitative
quasi-experiemental
1. What feature of Level II studies makes them stronger than Level III studies? a. Random assignment b. Replication c. Use of a pretest and posttest d. Use of a control group
random assignment
Which type of research design would be best for answering an efficacy question? a. Randomized controlled trial b. Correlational study c. Survey research d. Reliability study
randomized controlled trial
Identifying the factors that are most predictive of fall risk would best be done with what type of question? a. Efficacy b. Descriptive c. Relational d. Assessment e. Qualitative
relational
Studies that use correlational methods are used to answer which type of question? a. Efficacy b. Descriptive c. Relational d. Assessment e. Qualitative
relational
What feature of Level I studies makes them stronger than Level II studies? a. Random assignment b. Replication c. Use of a pretest and posttest d. Use of a control group
replication
A table that lists the pretest and posttest results with their associated p values would be found in what section of a research article? a. Introduction b. Methods c. Results d. Discussion
results
How many levels are present in the independent variable of a study that seeks to determine if there is a difference in cognitive abilities among individuals with autism, individuals with ADHD, and individuals with learning disabilities? a. One b. Two c. Three d. Four
three
1. When you enter "stroke" as a MeSH term, PubMed will search for stroke as well as synonyms of stroke. a. True b. False
true
A limitation of the levels-of-evidence hierarchy is its lack of consideration for external validity (generalizability). a. True b. False
true
A major limitation of peer review is its inability to protect against fraudulent reporting. a. True b. False
true
A randomized controlled trial is a strong design for answering questions related to cause-and-effect relationships. a. True b. False
true
A randomized controlled trial uses an experimental design. a. True b. False
true
Among the endorsers of evidence-based practice are the professional organizations that promote the rehabilitation professions.
true
An editorial review board made up of experts in the field increases the credibility of a website. a. True b. False
true
As a member of your professional organization, you will have access to the full text of articles published by your organization. a. True b. False
true
Congress mandates that the full text of all articles arising from studies funded by the National Institutes of Health be free to the public. a. True b. False
true
Even when a strong study design with a high level of evidence is used in research, the study may provide strong evidence that an intervention is ineffective. a. True b. False
true
If scores are normally distributed, most people will have scores in between ‑1 and +1 standard deviations from the mean. a. True b. False
true
Qualitative studies typically have relatively small numbers of participants. a. True b. False
true
Quasi-experimental research is intended to examine cause-and-effect relationships. a. True b. False
true
The evidence in evidence-based practice includes information from the client/family.
true
A study is described as a 2 x 2 design. This means the study has: a. two independent variables with two levels. b. two independent variables and two dependent variables. c. one independent variable with two levels and one dependent variable with two levels. d. two independent variables and two control variables.
two independent variables with two levelsdependent
A study compares robotic therapy versus traditional rehabilitation for improving upper-extremity functioning in individuals with stroke in acute care. What is the dependent variable? a. Upper-extremity functioning b. Group assignment c. Stroke d. Acute care
upper-extremity functioning
