Research Work: Data Sampling Techniques

Research Work: Data Sampling Techniques

            According to Per Yegidis, Weinbach & Myers (2018), “a sample is a subset of cases selected for study from among people or objects within a defined population. It is chosen to represent the population.” The research would apply both probability and no-probability sampling techniques with various parameters and desired characteristics of the ideal sample. Taherdoost (2016) describes non-probability sampling as a sampling technique in which the researcher selects samples based on the subjective judgment of the researcher rather than a random selection from the total population. First, a census search would be conducted on the demarcated demography of prospective locations to determine whether there are relatively enough psychological patients who could potentially access counseling. Secondly, the counseling agencies would serve a wide variety of self-referent, non-mandated clients, and provide a non-generalized wide variety of psychological services. For example, agencies that offer clients the benefit of choosing counseling techniques for themselves and those that the practitioners selected the techniques to be used. Third, a consultation with a statistician will be used to confirm the size of the sample needed for each variable to have sufficient effect time and statistical power, then the counseling agencies that would satisfy much these requirements will be sought out. Fourth, filing and an office administrator would only perform intake practices at each agency. Lastly, it would be ideal that all the selected counseling agencies offer similar pricing, modalities, and type of counseling to avoid additional variables.

For probability sampling, a disproportionate sampling procedure would be followed whereby an equal number of people from each stratum would be used. Disproportionate stratified sampling is a stratified sampling procedure whereby the number of elements sampled from each stratum is not proportional to their presentation in the total population (Sharma, 2017). This sampling technique will be used to select psychological clients in selected psychological facilities to establish the perception of the client’s perspective offers the benefit of creating a direct source of information that can be used to improve the therapy experience. Preferences and evaluation of the effectiveness and ease concerns that the appropriate approach to counseling Lucile that will enable her to deal with the imminent challenges of life. Therefore an equal number of male and female individuals would be obtained from all the selected psychological facilities. However, in order to achieve this, at least two elements would be taken to each stratum.

The study would have a non-equivalent pre-test and post-test control designs where each agency will be assigned randomly to either the control group or the organized psychological group. Each chosen group will serve as an independent variable. The dependent variable will be the number of the new client with a choice of counseling technique, the new clients with the practitioner-selected intervention, their experience from the agency, past counseling experience, number of attended sessions, client satisfaction, and comprehensive demographic features such as educational background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and income. Data collection exercise will be carried out for a three month pre-test period from each group to establish a baseline. The neutral brochures will be distributed at the same time in the selected agencies in a self-serve manner. The control group will have no brochures. For the post period, data would be collected for another three months.

References

Sharma, G. (2017). Pros and cons of different sampling techniques. International journal of applied research, 3(7), 749-752.

Taherdoost, H. (2016). Sampling methods in research methodology; how to choose a sampling technique for research. How to Choose a Sampling Technique for Research (April 10, 2016).

Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L.  (2018). Research methods for social workers (8th ed.). New York, NY:  Pearson.