Severe Psychosis: Exercise as a Treatment

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Table of Contents

Research question(s)
Experimental research methods
Hypotheses
Research design
References

Research question(s)

The research question will seek to determine if individuals suffering from severe psychosis would have fewer episodes as well as possible decreasing of certain psychotropic/ antipsychotic medication. “Generally the other research findings demonstrate a positive trend towards improved mental health for those participants utilizing exercise” (Goliath knowledge on demand, 2007, p.1).. The U.S national institute of health (2002) records that most research findings suggest a positive effect of exercise on mental health in people with psychosis, yet there is a need for greater consistency within the research to determine the size of effects and the most successful type of intervention (Campbell, & Stanley, 1963). Therefore if it is proved beyond doubt that the exercise reduces psychotic medication it would be the first step in a long journey of cutting the cost of medication incurred in the treatment.

Primary data is to be collected and recorded through observation and recording of the behavioral pattern in the participants and the subsequent monitoring number of episodes and therefore the frequency of antipsychotic medication to determine whether it will significantly reduce (American Psychological Association, 2010).

Experimental research methods

The study will use an experimental research method to establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables (Campbell, & Stanley, 1963). It is hereby hypothesized that the Independent Variable (regimented physical activity/exercise) causes the changes in the Dependent Variable (psychotropic/antipsychotic medication).

The participant and a control group will be compared and Mean-test statistics to measure the change that occurs in both groups analyzed. “In this sense, an attempt to control all confounding variables, or at least consider their impact, while attempting to determine if the exercise will have truly caused the change in medication, will be made” (Davis, 1997, p.1). This study will therefore adopt the true experimental method. This will be appropriate for two reasons; the researcher can have control over variables and secondly he or she can determine what is best for the population.

Hypotheses

Null hypothesis

There is no relationship between regimental physical activity and individual with severe psychosis decreasing current psychotropic/antipsychotic medication (Creswell, 2009).

Alternate hypothesis

There is a relationship between regimental physical activity and individual with severe psychosis decreasing current psychotropic/antipsychotic medication.

Variables

The ‘Regimented physical activity/exercise’ will be the independent variable while ‘psychotropic/antipsychotic medication’ will be the dependent variable (Davis, 1997).

Research design

The participating population will be made up of patients with extreme psychosis both male and female of ages between 15 years and 45 years and from different educational levels. Hospitals and rehabilitation centers will be visited where permission and assistance of the care takers may be sought to access the participants. After exposing the participants to regimented physical exercise, the frequency of antipsychotic medication will be recorded. The study will compare the after exposure participants with the patients not exposed to the exercise (control) to see whether there is a significant reduction of the episodes as well as the anti-psychotic medication. This way a predictor and the outcome will be determined.

A sample of 120 participants will be used from different institutions (hospitals and rehabilitation centers). To determine the sample size; a table of critical values for Pearson correlation- a two tailed probability will be adopted. A large sample is needed to ensure reasonable likelihood of noticing the relationship between the two variables. The study therefore predicted a sample size with 80 % (0.80) statistical power where.05 would be the alpha with the estimated effect size of 0.25 (from the literature). The table determined that a sample size of 120 participants is needed (Ellis, 2007).

This study does really attract some ethical concerns with Walden’s Institutional Review Board. The people to be used as subjects are not of sound minds. They therefore are ignored in their free will to be involved in this research. Secondly those used as a control will be denied the otherwise benefit of the treatment.

References

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Campbell, D.T. & Stanley, J.C. (1963). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Chicago: Rand McNally. Cook, T.D. and Campbell. Web.

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (3rd end). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Davis, J. (1997). Experimental Research Methods. Web.

Ellis, N. (2007). Exercise Interventions as an Adjunct Therapy for Psychosis: A Critical Review. Web.

Goliath knowledge on demand. (2007). Nursing science and research in the Nordic countries. Web.

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