Gender and age as factors affecting the responses of individual family members to the SCORE measure of family functioning

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

No words can express my appreciation and gratitude to my research advisor _______ through the course of this research, Professor _____has taught me numerous values that extend well beyond the realm of _________ (Your Subject Name). His emphasis on dedication to work and his valuable and practical insights of life are some of the major highlights of my education at The University _________. To Professor _____, I say with great respect, thank you very much.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for the academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

Family functioning is an important construct to measure in a family, due to its connection with several behaviours and health outcomes. . This research examines whether the factors of gender and age made an impact on the responses of family members completing the Score 40 self-rating measure of family functioning. This is a measure currently being developed. The research was conducted with a sample of five hundred and ten people. The researcher applied the statistical tool of Confirmatory factor analysis to take out the factors and then applied the tool of regression with the help of STATA to analyze that whether there was an impact of age and gender on the SCORE 40 questionnaire. The results showed that the variables of age and gender did not make any significant impact on completion of SCORE 40 questionnaire.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

LIST OF TABLESVIII

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

1.1 Background of the study1

1.2 Introduction2

1.3 Problem statement2

1.4 Aims and objectives of the research3

1.5 Research questions3

1.6 Significance of the study4

1.7 Definitions4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW5

2.1 Evidence-based practice (EBP)5

2.2 National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence7

2.3 Evidence based practice and family therapy8

2.4 Family Functioning8

2.4.1 Satisfaction of sexual needs9

2.4.2 The function of reproduction9

2.4.3 The function of protection and care9

2.4.4 The function of socializing10

2.4.5 The function of provision of a home10

2.5 Family functioning measures10

2.5.1 Family Environment Scale (FES)11

2.5.2 Family Assessment Device11

2.5.3 Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale12

2.5.4 Family APGAR13

2.6 Development of SCORE measurement13

2.7 Factors affecting the SCORE questionnaire17

2.7.1 Gender and perception as factors affecting SCORE questionnaire17

2.7.2 Age as a factor affecting SCORE questionnaire18

CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY20

3.1 Application of quantitative analysis20

3.2 Rationale21

3.2.1 Critique of interpretivist philosophy21

3.2 Population23

3.3 Sampling24

3.3.1 Sample24

3.3.2 Sampling technique applied24

3.3.3 Sampling frame25

3.3.4 Sample25

3.4 Data collection techniques25

3.5 Data processing techniques26

3.6 Ethical Approval26

3.7 Ethical considerations27

3.8 Data Analysis27

3.8.1 Reliability analysis27

3.8.2 Factor analysis28

3.8.3 Linear regression28

CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS29

4.1 Reliability analysis29

4.2 Factor analysis for determining different factors from the SCORE questionnaire30

4.3 The impact of age on SCORE 4031

4.3.1 Factor 1: Communication31

4.3.2 Factor 2: Adaptability34

4.3.3 Factor 3: Hostility35

4.4 The impact of gender on SCORE 4037

4.4.1 Factor 1: Communication37

4.4.2 Factor 2: Adaptability38

4.4.3 Factor 3: Hostility40

4.5 Results for gender differences41

4.6 Results for age difference42

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS43

5.1 Recommendations for future research43

5.2 Conclusions44

REFERENCES49

APPENDICES56

Appendix A: Copy of Ethical Approval56

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