Critical Appraisal of Evidence-Based Studies
Introduction
Based on the study” Exploring resilience and mindfulness as preventive factors for psychological distress burnout and secondary traumatic stress among human service professionals” is an effective evidence-based study. It is due to the fact that the study has made an analysis of different professional areas, therefore, comparing the information and drawing meaningful conclusions. In this regard, the study has conducted a survey of 133 human services professional that works in the field of psychology, counseling, social work, foster care work and the youth with the view of establishing the productive relationship that exists considering the aspect of resilience, mindfulness and psychological distress (Harker, Aileen, Frances, & Steven, 2016). However, the study has some shortcomings such that the involved in the study was not a requirement of the employees since they were invited on a voluntary basis to participate in the study. It, therefore, concludes that most of the employees who had varied information that is significant to the study are likely to fail therefore making the research to be ineffective. The self-report data of resilient is an effective data since it is often subjected to bias making the study to be ineffective more (Acker, 2010). The paper gives an analysis of various aspects of the evinced based research.
Research Questions
The study employed crucial research questions that are directly derived from the aim of the study ensuring that the researchers remain on course in order at the end to achieve the goals of the research, therefore, making the research to be effective. Following this aspect the research question such as “what are the predictive relationship between mindfulness, resilience, burnout, psychological distress and secondary traumatic stress among the service professionals?”
Research Design
The study utilized a sampling approach whereby professionals from various field ranging from the age of 20-64 years were selected. The respondents were selected in line with the research objectives, therefore, taking participants from related fields to the study. The study utilized a high number of female participants amounting to 106 which was 79.7% of the participants while 27 male participated in the study. In the design, it is clear that the right population was drawn for the study. Consequently, the study does not explain how the population was obtained using what criteria and why the study was gender biased utilizing over three-quarters of the population is women. Following these aspects make the design ineffective. There is the likelihood of the study not to realize accurate results.
Methods of the study
The population was sampled out where various questionnaires were subjected to respondents with the close examination of their behaviors in support of their outcomes. Consequently, the study has shown various shortcomings which have questioned the effectiveness of the study. The study gives the participants an option only but to volunteer in the study. The selection of the population for the study is full of biases selecting a high number of females to engage in the study as opposed to the males. The utilization of self-report approach of data is highly subjected to bias and demand characteristics. In this regard, wrong conclusions will be drawn due to wrong data. Additionally, following the interpretation of the data that was limited and therefore it led to ineffective outcomes. Furthermore, through the utilization of experimental manipulation of the used variables, it gave a chance for cause and effect relationships to be established. Based on the strengths of the study, it is clear on the right choice of the population who were from various fields that relate to the topics of study were utilized, this helped profoundly to draw a clear comparison with the view of drawing meaningful conclusions. It is due to this approach that has immensely contributed to the success of the research process. Despite the limitations, it is evidenced that based on the knowledge of the participants coming from various field relating to the topic under study, the research will definitely achieve the intended purpose.
Results of the study
The study established that a high level of resilience, as well as increased mindfulness, has had an impact of predicting of low levels of burnouts and secondary traumatic stress. Also, the psychological distress and the future study could determine causal priorities through utilization of experiments in manipulating variables that of great focus. Resilience-based on the study is a significant determiner of the low levels of the secondary traumatic stress that appears to be consistent with the previous research conducted. When compared to other studies that showed mindfulness being a significant predictor, the study established that it was not a significant predictor. Age did not impact significantly on the prediction of low levels of secondary traumatic stress, therefore, proving the fact that regardless the age of an individual the secondary traumatic stress can be experienced by human professional whether young or aged. Regarding the aspects of psychological distress the three elements; age, resilience, and mindfulness, were significant predictors. However, the previous studies suggested that resilient employees had the ability to control their emotions and maintain the focus on managing stress. The secondary traumatic stress was not associated with the predictor of psychological distress. It is clear that the findings of the study have the ability to decrease risks of psychological outcomes that are negative among the professionals of the human service. In the study, the arguments of developing programs that aim at cultivating the elements of resilience and mindfulness in order to help lower the risk of burnout, psychological distress, and secondary traumatic stress. Following these aspects as concluded in the study, it is clear that study has achieved the purpose despite various shortcomings in the methods of the study and the biases in the selection of the population portraying high level of gender imbalance, the outcomes clearly have shown the relationship between mindfulness, resilience, burnout, psychological distress and secondary traumatic stress among the service professionals. It, therefore, makes the research to be the most effective one (Greenhalgh et.al 2017).
Conclusion
The evidenced-based research utilized a sampling approach in selecting its population. The sample outcomes registered high levels of gender imbalance although the effective purpose of the study was attained at the end of the study. In the study, a clear relationship between mindfulness, resilience, burnout, psychological distress and secondary traumatic stress among the service professionals is established. In this regard, it is found that the arguments of developing programs that aim at cultivating the elements of resilience and mindfulness in order to help lower the risk of burnout, psychological distress, and secondary traumatic stress are necessary to appropriate. It is also a clear study that the age factor has no impact on the prediction of the low levels of secondary traumatic stress. It is, therefore, crucial to understanding that regardless of the age of an individual the secondary traumatic stress can be experienced by human professional whether young or aged.
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