Article Analysis

Article Analysis

Methods: Design, Measurement and Analyses

Cross-sectional Survey

The study by Grav, Hellzen, Romild & Stordal (2011) is based on cross-sectional study which is a method that is often used in developmental psychology; however, it is also used in several other areas. Cross-sectional research is performed with the random individuals from the study population. When selecting generally do not take into account the health status and exposure to individuals. In this type of study, subjects are monitored continuously, but information about them is collected once at some point, or within a short period of time within which it can be assumed that the exposure and the incidence of disease or other monitored health phenomenon is does not change. With reference to association between social support and depression, the cross-sectional study provides a good idea of the values of the prevalence of the disease, the prevalence of exposures in the population studied. It also allows the distribution of other studies variables in this population. Data obtained from cross-sectional studies are inherently time-conditioned, that is bind to a specific point in time, respectively. Therefore, the study of association between social support and depression are often referred to as prevalence study.

Pertaining to association between social support and depression, cross-sectional studies are particularly suited to the study of constant and relatively frequent exposures, such as genetic markers and blood group. They are also suitable for long-term study of diseases that are difficult to evaluate and diseases that are usually not fatal. Because cross-sectional studies relate to a specific time, not a good indicator of the prevalence of the disease of short duration or with a rapid fatal outcome.

In analytical cross-sectional study of the form used to assess the presence and size of the association between variables and its testing. Since the exposure and the disease detected at the same time, we can usually pinpoint whether the exposure preceded the disease or resulting there from. For example, smoking may be as much a cause as well as consequence of neurosis. It is identified at the base of the cross-sectional study, a negative association between vital capacity and hypertension (Annette & McCord, 2007). Subsequent prospective cohort tracking the Seven Counties Study but did not confirm this association and the authors came to the hypothesis that hypertension could be a cause rather than a consequence of reduced vital capacity. Only when the exposure certainly precedes the occurrence of disease (for instance, genetic features, eye color) and is unmistakable, the results of tests of association between exposure and disease pursued interpreted in terms of a possible causal connection. Otherwise the analytical cross-sectional study and on the basis of observed associations only serve to create a specific hypotheses that must be verified by another type of study, usually case-control or cohort studies.

Additionally, the incidence of disease could rather than the current exposure levels associated with the level of exposure in the past. This is why some cross-sectional studies attempt to expand their reach and gain as well as historical information, if ...