Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Phillip D Rumrill.
The article describes single-subject research designs as an efficient and cost-effective way to assess the impact of targeted interventions on individual behavior. The authors overview the basic tenets of single-subject research, provide examples of several types of single-subject designs, and describe the utility of single-subject designs in rehabilitation research.
Researchers in rehabilitation counseling and disability studies sometimes use analogue research, which involves materials that approximate or describe reality (e.g., written vignettes, videotaped exemplars) rather than investigating phenomena in real-world settings. Analogue research often utilizes experimental designs, and it thereby frequently possesses a high degree of internal validity. Analogue research allows investigators to exercise tight control over the implementation of the independent or treatment variable and over potentially confounding variables, which enables them to isolate the effects of those treatment variables on selected outcome measures. However, the simulated nature of analogue research presents an important threat to external validity. As such, the generalizability of analogue research to real-life settings and situations may be problematic. These and other issues germane to analogue research in vocational rehabilitation are discussed in this article, illustrated with examples from the contemporary literature.
The complexity of relationships between variables in a variety of rehabilitation settings can be appropriately addressed by the use of multivariate methods of statistical analysis. The purpose of this article is to describe (a) some basic concepts and principles of multivariate methods as well as (b) common misconceptions in the application of such methods. Specifically, the authors focus on the use of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) in rehabilitation research and some pitfalls that rehabilitation researchers face when choosing between MANOVA for a set of outcome variables versus separate analyses of variance (ANOVAs) for each outcome variable. Examples of the use of MANOVA in rehabilitation research, as well as references to other multivariate methods, are also provided.
This article is the second in a series that examine the role of literature reviews in rehabilitation research. Methods of generating new knowledge from existing literature are categorized into three approaches: synthetic literature reviews which interpret previous findings in narrative fashion, quantitative literature reviews which summarize findings from primary research studies using a variety "counting" approaches, and meta-analyses which aggregate effect sizes from primary research studies and allow for a more complex analysis of trends in the empirical research literature. This articles examines the role that quantitative literature reviews can play in better understanding the status of knowledge in rehabilitation research, thereby shaping field practices as well as future scientific investigations. Examples of quantitative reviews from contemporary rehabilitation and related health sciences literature are provided throughout the article.
The authors outline the development and scope of the National EEOC ADA Research Project which resulted from a cooperative agreement between the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Virginia Commonwealth University. Research questions, the EEOC database, extraction of study data, limitations of the data, the organization of research teams, and the contents of this special issue of WORK are described.
In experimental research, internal validity is the extent to which the researcher can conclude that the manipulation of the independent variable caused change in the dependent variable. Without causal inference, researchers and research consumers would not be able to meaningfully interpret the results of experiments. This article discusses (a) threats to internal validity in rehabilitation research an (b) experimental procedures that can aid rehabilitation researchers in maximizing the internal validity of their investigations.
The article describes non-manipulation quantitative designs of two types, correlational and causal comparative studies. Both of these designs are characterized by the absence of random assignment of research participants to conditions or groups and non-manipulation of the independent variable. Without random selection or manipulation of the independent variable, no attempt is made to draw causal inferences regarding relationships between independent and dependent variables. Nonetheless, non-manipulation studies play an important role in rehabilitation research, as described in this article. Examples from the contemporary rehabilitation literature are included.
The article examines issues involved in comparing groups and measuring change with pretest and posttest data. Different pretest-posttest designs are presented in a manner that can help rehabilitation professionals to better understand and determine effects resulting from selected interventions. The reliability of gain scores in pretest-posttest measurement is also discussed in the context of rehabilitation research and practice.
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Although they have a recent work history, 70 to 80% of adults with multiple sclerosis are unemployed following their diagnosis. This high rate of unemployment constitutes a great loss of potential to the American economy. To help individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) return to work or retain employment, rehabilitation professionals must understand the barriers resulting in unemployment and implement interventions to reduce or remove those concerns. In this article, Hershenson's systemic model of rehabilitation counseling is presented as a diagnostic scheme for identifying barriers to employment. Counselor consultation on barrier removal via reasonable accommodation is presented as one example of a rehabilitation intervention consistent with the systemic diagnostic model.
More than 1,300 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) responded to an employment concerns survey. The results from this survey served as the topics of discussion for seven focus groups including people with MS and service providers in four states. Recommendations to improve the employment outcomes of people with MS that emerged from these discussions clustered in three areas: employment policies and practices, Social Security benefits, and healthcare. Strategies for preserving strengths in employment supports for people with MS clustered in two areas, access to respectful service providers and personal control.
This article describes the rationale for and methods used in conducting meta-analyses in rehabilitation research. Advantages and disadvantages of meta-analysis, vis a vis the narrative and quantitative literature reviews described in previous articles, are discussed. Hypothetical and actual examples from the rehabilitation and related health sciences fields are used to illustrate points throughout the text.