Research Question: Can long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication promote medication adherence and reduce relapse in patients with schizophrenia. The statistic test appropriate for the study will be a parametric statistical analysis. Mishra et al. (2019) argues that parametric tests rely on the assumption that the variable is continuous and follow approximate normally distributed. When data is continuous with non-normal distribution or any other types of data other than continuous variable. Parametric methods are stronger test to detect the difference between the groups as compared with its counterpart nonparametric method (Mishra et al., 2019). According to Gray and Grove (2020), parametric techniques deal with continuous variables rather than discrete variables, the level of measurement should be at least interval level data or ordinal data with an approximately normal distribution (Gray & Grove, 2020, p.642). Ali and Bhaskar (2016) explain that in inferential statistics, data are analyzed from a sample to make inferences in the larger collection of the population. The purpose is to answer or test the hypotheses. A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. Hypothesis tests are thus procedures for making rational decisions about the reality of observed effect (Ali & Bhaskar, 2016).
Ali and Bhaskar (2016) states that it is recommended that when sample size is small, only on highly normally distributed data, parametric method should be used otherwise corresponding nonparametric methods should be preferred. Similarly, on sufficient or large sample size (average >15 observations per group), most of the statistical methods are highly sensitive about non-normality and there is chance to wrongly detect non-normality, despite having normal data. It is recommended that when sample size is sufficient, only on highly non-normal data, nonparametric method should be used otherwise corresponding parametric methods should be preferred (Ali & Bhaskar, 2016). Since the sample size for the study will be small, parametric analysis method is much preferred.
References
Ali, Z., & Bhaskar, S. (2016). Basic statistical tools in research and data analysis. Indian Journal of Anaesthesia, 60(9), 662.
Gray, J. R., & Grove, S. K. (2020). Burns and grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (9th ed.). Elsevier.
Mishra, P., Pandey, C., Singh, U., Keshri, A., & Sabaretnam, M. (2019). Selection of appropriate statistical methods for data analysis. Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia, 22(3), 297.
