Handbook Of Research Methods In Health Psychology

Though psychology as a discipline has grown enormously in popularity in recent years, compulsory courses in research methods and statistics are seldom embarked upon with any great enthusiasm within the undergraduate and postgraduate communities. Many postgraduate and PhD students start theirresearch ill-equipped to design effective experiments and to properly analyse their results. This lack of knowledge also limits their ability to critically assess and evaluate research done by others. This book is a practical guide to carrying out research in health psychology and clinical psychology. It bridges the gap between undergraduate and postgraduate study. As well as describing the various techniques and methods available to students, it provides them with a proper understanding of whata specific technique does - going beyond the introductory descriptions typical of most undergraduate methods books. The book describes both quantitative and qualitativeve approaches to data collection, providing valuable advice on methods ranging from psychometric testing to discourse analysis. Forboth undergraduate and postgraduate students, the book will be essential in making them aware of the full range of techniques available, helping them to design scientifically rigorous experiments, and effectively analyse their results.

In this comprehensive handbook, Ragin and Keenan present an all-encompassing analysis of the variety of different methods used in health psychology research. Featuring interdisciplinary collaborations from leading academics, this meticulously written volume is a guide to conducting cutting-edge research using tested and vetted best practices. It explains important research techniques, why they are selected and how they are conducted. The book critically examines both cutting-edge methods, such as those used in NextGen genetics, nudge theory, and the brain's vulnerability to addiction, as well as the classic methods, including cortisol measurement, survey, and environmental study. The topics of the book span the gamut of health psychology field, from neuroimaging and statistical analysis to socioeconomic issues such as the policies used to address diseases in Africa, anti-vaxers, and the disproportionate impact of climate change on impoverished people. With each section featuring examples of best research practices, recommendations for study samples, accurate use of instrumentation, analytical techniques, and advanced-level data analysis, this book will be an essential text for both emerging student researchers and experts in the field and an indispensable resource in health psychology programs.

Designed to serve as a primary reference source for researchers and students interested in expanding their research to consider a biopsychosocial approach, this book provides a thorough, state-of-the-art, and user-friendly coverage of basic techniques for measurement of physiological variables in health psychology research.

In this comprehensive handbook, Ragin and Keenan present an all-encompassing analysis of the variety of different methods used in health psychology research. Featuring interdisciplinary collaborations from leading academics, this meticulously written volume is a guide to conducting cutting-edge research using tested and vetted best practices. It explains important research techniques, why they are selected and how they are conducted. The book critically examines both cutting-edge methods, such as those used in NextGen genetics, nudge theory, and the brain’s vulnerability to addiction, as well as the classic methods, including cortisol measurement, survey, and environmental study. The topics of the book span the gamut of health psychology field, from neuroimaging and statistical analysis to socioeconomic issues such as the policies used to address diseases in Africa, anti-vaxers, and the disproportionate impact of climate change on impoverished people. With each section featuring examples of best research practices, recommendations for study samples, accurate use of instrumentation, analytical techniques, and advanced-level data analysis, this book will be an essential text for both emerging student researchers and experts in the field and an indispensable resource in health psychology programs.

Bringing together leading authorities, this unique handbook reviews the breadth of current approaches for studying how people think, feel, and behave in everyday environments, rather than in the laboratory. The volume thoroughly describes experience sampling methods, diary methods, physiological measures, and other self-report and non-self-report tools that allow for repeated, real-time measurement in natural settings. Practical guidance is provided to help the reader design a high-quality study, select and implement appropriate methods, and analyze the resulting data using cutting-edge statistical techniques. Applications across a wide range of psychological subfields and research areas are discussed in detail.

The Handbook of Research Methods in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology presents a diverse range of areas critical to any researcher or student entering the field. It provides valuable information on the foundations of research methods, including validity in experimental design, ethics, and statistical methods. The contributors discuss design and instrumentation for methods that are particular to abnormal and clinical psychology, including behavioral assessment, psychophysiological assessment and observational methods. They also offer details on new advances in research methodology and analysis, such as meta-analysis, taxometric methods, item response theory, and approaches to determining clinical significance. In addition, this volume covers specialty topics within abnormal and clinical psychology from forensic psychology to behavior genetics to treatment outcome methods.

This book integrates philosophy of science, data acquisition methods, and statistical modeling techniques to present readers with a forward-thinking perspective on clinical science. It reviews modern research practices in clinical psychology that support the goals of psychological science, study designs that promote good research, and quantitative methods that can test specific scientific questions. It covers new themes in research including intensive longitudinal designs, neurobiology, developmental psychopathology, and advanced computational methods such as machine learning. Core chapters examine significant statistical topics, for example missing data, causality, meta-analysis, latent variable analysis, and dyadic data analysis. A balanced overview of observational and experimental designs is also supplied, including preclinical research and intervention science. This is a foundational resource that supports the methodological training of the current and future generations of clinical psychological scientists.