Power Analysis computed to Determine Sample Size for An Evaluative Study of Video Assisted Teaching Module (VATM) on Home Care of Schizophrenic Patients Developed for Primary Caregivers

Abstract

Power analysis is an essential procedure for researchers to use before conducting a main study. Researchers need to pay greater attention to statistical power analysis and have to take a serious risk when they design an interventional study with inadequate samples. In an underpowered study, the researcher may be testing a genuinely effective treatment but fail to recognize its efficacy. Researcher can avoid the likelihood of making an error is related to statistical consideration that are used to determine needed sample size for a study. Researchers are strongly encouraged to conduct power analyses when designing studies, and to avoid scattergun approaches to data analysis (i.e. Undertaking large numbers of tests in the hope of finding ‘significant’ results). when determining a sample size researchers need to consider the desired power, expected effect size and the acceptable significance level. Because reviewing effect sizes are essential for determining the clinical significance of study findings, researchers would better serve the field of medical and nursing studies if they reported and interpreted effect sizes. The present study is an evaluative study of video assisted teaching module on home care of schizophrenic patients developed for primary caregivers. In this present study, caregivers of schizophrenic patients are the samples. A population survey would be impractical for a low prevalence disorder such as schizophrenia by means of this limitation, sample size must be based on an estimate of effect size that is meaningful in this of the study. The aim of this article is to explain sequential steps in estimating sample size of true experimental randomized control trail.