Critique 1: Quantitative Research Design Study
1. Summary of the Study
Bjornstad et al. (2024) conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate different delivery methods of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for adolescents dealing with elevated depression symptoms. The main research question focused on determining which CBT delivery formats, including group CBT, individual CBT, remote CBT, guided self-help, and unguided self-help, provided superior outcomes relative to each other and control interventions. The secondary research objective evaluated the delivery modes regarding intervention acceptability by assessing participant retention rates. A total of 68 randomized controlled trials and 6,435 participants took part in this study. Results showed that CBT delivery methods worked better than no treatment besides remote CBT after direct intervention. Guided self-help received the highest ranking as an intervention, yet researchers conducted studies only with older adolescents aged 16–19 years. The evaluation at 6–12 months follow-up ranked unguided self-help interventions as the most suitable option even though methods for long-term delivery were scarce. The evaluated delivery modes of CBT treatments proved equally acceptable for participants.
2. Research Design
A network meta-analysis analysis was used in this research to perform a multi-intervention comparison through the integration of empirical data collected from RCTs (Seitidis, 2022).
- ·Strengths: A comprehensive assessment of different CBT delivery techniques takes place when using this analysis method to guide clinical decisions effectively.
- ·Limitations: The results might lose reliability because trials show moderate heterogeneity, while the lack of direct studies between guided self-help and individual CBT introduces uncertainty (Headley, 2021).
3. Sampling
- The analysis included 68 RCTs that examined adolescents between 10 and 19 years old, with female participants numbering 60% of the total sample. A total of 29 trials were conducted in the U.S., and 21 countries participated in the international research.
- Representativeness: The wide range of research sites extends across countries, but the dominance of American studies decreases the possibility of expanding the findings. Results from the studies may not work for children below age 10 and older adults.
- Ethical Considerations: The research did not enlist participants directly but obtained ethical clearance and informed consent from all included randomized control trials.
4. Reliability & Validity
- Reliability: The study used standardized mean differences (SMD) and odds ratios (OR) to maintain consistent effect size values between studies. The evaluation of potential biases happened through Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool assessments together with sensitivity tests that checked the stability of the results.
- Validity: Internal validity in the study was confirmed through the inclusion of only Randomized Controlled Trials, which adopted validated self-report depression assessment tools. External validity faces limitations in this research due to differences between the included studies and the dominant number of trials conducted in the United States.
5. Ethical Considerations
In its role as a meta-analysis, the primary ethical focus involved verifying that every included RCT followed appropriate ethical standards. The authors provided full information disclosure while handling possible conflicts that could arise throughout the research process. The research revealed no significant ethical concerns (Robertson, 2021).
6. Conclusions and Recommendations
The research revealed that the majority of CBT treatments successfully decrease depressive symptoms among teenage youth. Self-help interventions provided the most immediate effects after treatment, whereas unguided self-help proved best in maintaining its benefits over time. Research findings become less applicable because direct delivery mode comparisons were not performed while trials mainly included older adolescent participants.
Academic research needs to conduct direct testing between guided self-help treatment and traditional individual CBT therapy. Scientific investigations must prioritize research involving younger adolescents as well as various cultural environments (O’Connor, 2020). Combining quantitative and qualitative research methods would lead to better insights regarding intervention usability and practicality.
Critique 2: Qualitative Research Design Study
1. Summary of the Study
Fusar-Poli et al. (2023) conducted a qualitative study, The Lived Experience of Depression: A Bottom-Up Review Co-written by experienced experts and academics, it takes a phenomenological approach to investigating how people perceive and cope with depression. The study used firsthand narratives to capture the emotional, physical, and social elements of depression. A collaborative, bottom-up process brought together insights from people who have lived their experiences and academic scholars. Overwhelming unpleasant emotions, separation from oneself and others, and the influence on interpersonal connections were all significant topics.
2. Research Design
The research design adopted phenomenology as it provides optimal conditions for studying personal experiences experienced by individuals living with depression. The research design of phenomenology enables scientists to examine participants’ genuine subjective experiences in order to understand the complete richness of their emotional and psychological condition (Guerrero, 2023).
Strengths:
This design strategy delivers in-depth knowledge of participant experiences mainly through direct personal stories.
Co-adjustment between academic researchers and service users through collaboration provides elevated richness to the obtained study results.
Limitations:
Subjective interpretation of qualitative data generates the possibility that researcher bias will affect the study findings.
First-person accounts add value to the research, but their emphasis restricts how many additional populations can use the findings.
3. Sampling and Participants
The research examined information from an international cohort, which included experts with personal experiences together with people from different socioeconomic levels as well as other cultural and ethnic backgrounds. A diverse population was obtained from the Global Mental Health Peer Network membership, which promotes participation from multiple viewpoints.
Diversity of Sample:Due to its diverse participant base, the study obtained knowledge about depression experiences within multiple global societies. The qualitative approach used in the research hinders the ability to generalize the study results.
Ethical Considerations: During the study, researchers obtained consent to protect participant privacy while offering emotional support to anyone facing distress throughout the research period (Lim, 2024).
4. Data Collection Methods
To acquire research data, we conducted meetings both in person and online, as well as collected individual direct accounts. The researchers conducted data collection through thematic analysis as a qualitative method to allow participants to express their lived experiences (Braun, 2021). Additional materials from member autobiographies strengthened the research database throughout the study.
Potential Bias: The adaptable research design of qualitative methodologies increases the possibility of bias because member checks and detailed audit trail procedures support credibility.
5. Reliability & Validity
The reliability criteria of qualitative research consist of credibility transferability combined with dependability, as these elements assess the trustworthy nature of the resulting data.
Credibility: The study reached credibility levels through member-checks procedures and incorporated multiple researchers with varied background experience in data collection.
Transferability: The specific details of this particular study provide applicable knowledge that fits with other cases where similar groups and situations appear.
6. Ethical Considerations
Every research protocol protecting ethical conduct was implemented in the study, including participant consent procedures, strict confidentiality measures, and emotional support options. Participants used the collaborative research approach to steer the investigation process.
7. Conclusions and Recommendations
The research establishes a fundamental understanding of depression as it affects personal experiences by demonstrating how depression impacts emotional states sel, self-image, and social connections. Researchers must study depression in underrepresented cultural groups together with people who suffer from multiple medical conditions (Hu, 2020). Clinical mental health practitioners can provide more culturally sensitive care by including real-life patient experiences in their practice.
The evaluation praises the study for its genuine finding but identifies the barriers to generalization which arise from qualitative research’s subjective nature.
Reflective Account
1. Personal Insights and Learning
The application of the CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) review system for evaluating the research studies expanded my comprehension of how quantitative and qualitative approaches operate separately yet mutually support each other. Both quantitative research methods yielded numerical outcomes that delivered concrete proof of how effectively CBT treatments functioned. The qualitative study delivered rich and deeply evocative findings about what depression means for people in their daily lives by understanding both the mental and social aspects of the condition. The CASP assessment approach helped me conduct an organized review of study validity alongside reliability and relevance, which strengthened my understanding of the need for a combined examination of mental health through multiple methodologies.
2. Impact on Nursing Practice
This learning experience has made me focus intensely on selecting appropriate research methods to solve clinical questions within my evidence-based practice. The effectiveness of treatment interventions can be measured through quantitative research methods which align perfectly with CBT and comparable intervention assessments. Quality-based research methods help professionals gain insights into patient perceptions of medical encounters while offering an understanding of their coping mechanisms for person-centred nursing care delivery. The combination of proof-based clinical choices and double research methods permits practitioners to choose options best suited for individual patient needs.
3. Critical Thinking and Research Skills
CASP framework analysis led to my development of superior critical thinking expertise and advanced research capabilities. I now have the capability to detect research bias besides deciding the most appropriate research design and making critical evaluations of research ethics. Through CASP framework evaluation, I assessed the findings of qualitative research credibility and their transferability as I determined both the validity and reliability standards of the quantitative research results. Successful completion of evidence evaluation depends on these competencies for implementing knowledge into my nursing practice. My research allowed me to discover the connections between various methodological findings which support clinical decision-making.
4. Future Development
My research experience has inspired me to pursue additional studies in mixed-methods research because it combines qualitative and quantitative methods to generate advanced health complexity knowledge. The research examines depressive cultural experiences within mental health domains to develop more effective mental healthcare for various patient populations. I aim to embrace a deep understanding of these subject domains to develop mental health care practices that meet cultural requirements while being inclusive to all patient communities.
My reflective learning process has improved my academic abilities and professional expertise while establishing my dedication to providing evidence-based patient-oriented mental health nursing care.
References
Bjornstad, G., Sonthalia, S., Rouse, B., Freeman, L., Hessami, N., Dunne, J. H., & Axford, N. (2024). A comparison of the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural interventions based on delivery features for elevated symptoms of depression in adolescents: A systematic review. Campbell systematic reviews, 20(1), e1376. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1376
Fusar-Poli, P., Estradé, A., Stanghellini, G., Esposito, C. M., Rosfort, R., Mancini, M., Norman, P., Cullen, J., Adesina, M., Jimenez, G. B., da Cunha Lewin, C., Drah, E. A., Julien, M., Lamba, M., Mutura, E. M., Prawira, B., Sugianto, A., Teressa, J., White, L. A., Damiani, S., … Maj, M. (2023). The lived experience of depression: a bottom-up review co-written by experts by experience and academics. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 22(3), 352–365. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21111
Seitidis, G., Nikolakopoulos, S., Hennessy, E. A., Tanner-Smith, E. E., & Mavridis, D. (2022). Network meta-analysis techniques for synthesizing prevention science evidence. Prevention Science, 23(3), 415-424.
Headley, E. (2021). Low Intensity Guided Self-Help Interventions: Understanding Change (Doctoral dissertation, University of Sheffield).
Robertson, S. (2021). Transparency, trust, and integrated assessment models: An ethical consideration for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 12(1), e679.
Sánchez Guerrero, H. A. (2023). A phenomenologically grounded empirical approach to experiences of adolescent depression. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 22(1), 81-105.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Can I use TA? Should I use TA? Should I not use TA? Comparing reflexive thematic analysis and other pattern‐based qualitative analytic approaches. Counselling and psychotherapy research, 21(1), 37-47.
Hu, J., Wu, T., Damodaran, S., Tabb, K. M., Bauer, A., & Huang, H. (2020). The effectiveness of collaborative care on depression outcomes for racial/ethnic minority populations in primary care: a systematic review. Psychosomatics, 61(6), 632-644.
Lim, W. M. (2024). What is qualitative research? An overview and guidelines. Australasian Marketing Journal, 14413582241264619.
O’Connor, D. B., Aggleton, J. P., Chakrabarti, B., Cooper, C. L., Creswell, C., Dunsmuir, S., … & Armitage, C. J. (2020). Research priorities for the COVID‐19 pandemic and beyond: A call to action for psychological science. British Journal of Psychology, 111(4), 603-629.
