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7. RESEARCH APPROACHES AND DESIGNS a, , 170, CORRELATIONAL/EX-POST FACTO RESEARCH DESIGN, archer examines the relationship betwee,, , nipulation or control. In other Word, ationship of two.or more varjab),, , This is anonexperimental design where reseé, ‘more variables in a natural setting without-ma, research design where researchers study. the rel oe,, any intervention. For example, this design was used for A correlational study on tp,, smoking on lung cancer among people in New Delhi’., , eff, , Main Features, e In correlational studies, the researchers examine the strength. of relationships be, variables by determining how change in one variable is correlated with chang,, other variable, p, ° Generally, correlational studies have independent and dependent variables, but th,, of independent variable is observed on dependent variable without manipulating, ‘dependent variable., e In some correlational studies, identification of the independent-and dependent var, is difficult; however, in most correlational studies, the independent variable is iden;, which, without any intervention, influences the dependent variable. For example, ty, sign was used in ‘a correlational investigation of the study habits and visual acuity ay,, school children studying in selected schools in the city of Ludhiana’. In this study, s.;, habits are the independent variable, while visual acuity is the dependent variable, e Magnitude and direction of relationship of independent and dependent variables is m, sured by using the correlation coefficient statistical measure, where results range bet, —1 and +1. Negative results of correlation coefficient signify negative correlation of, pendent (—1: perfect negative correlation) and dependent variables, while positive, shows positive relationship of independent and dependent variables (+1: perfec, correlation). However, a zero result of correlation coefficient indicates no relations, tween independent and dependent variables., ¢ Theoretically, a positive relationship-means increase in one variable leads to the incre, of the other variable. While negative relationship means increase in one variable leads *, decrease in the other variable or vice versa. For example, a study was conducted to exam, the effect of age on physical performance and correlation coefficient results found to, —0.80. This indicates that there is negative correlation between age and physical per, mance, which means that physical performance decreases as age increases., , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ° In epidemiological language, these studies are known as cause and effect study, whet, , cause and effect relationship is investigated in natural settings without imposing expe, , mental interventions. This cause and effect relationship can be investigated either in !°!, ward manner, i.e. from cause to effect (prospective) or backward manner, i.e. from el!, , to cause (retrospective)., , Types of Correlational Research Design, , hes Ge ea ee r, Three basic correlational research designs are discussed in this chapter: prospective reseat!, , design, retrospective research design and ambispective research design., , OF NURSING RESEARCH, , , , prospective R, rs design in w}, sign Prospecti, Fesearch desig:, often longitud, For example, study on effec, outcome ‘Int, ing any histo, elopt, , , , Ambispect, The ar, exposure &, allows am