For my EBP project the independent variable is physician seriousness while the dependent variable is mental health patients’ treatment provision. An independent variable is the cause while a dependent variable is the effect ( Wilkinson et al., 2019 ). The dependent variable is the one that is being measured in a study. It depends on the independent variable. On the other hand, an independent variable is the one changed/manipulated by a researcher (Losh, 2017). It is assumed that an independent variable has a direct impact on a dependent variable. In addition, a variable is independent if its variation does not rely on the changes of a different variable in a study (Losh, 2017). An independent variable can be controlled by a researcher only but not by another variable ( Wilkinson et al., 2019 ).
Mental health patients lack proper treatment and care because doctors lack the seriousness required in handling/treating mental illnesses. Physician seriousness impacts the care that mental health patients receive. Being an independent variable, doctors’ seriousness can be manipulated to cause a different effect on patients. By having doctors follow up with patients diagnosed with mental illness, patients’ outcomes are expected to change/improve because they will have the care treatment required.
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On the other hand, whether mental health patients receive treatment is dependent on the seriousness of physicians in making follow up upon a positive diagnosis. It is the dependent variable because it is being influenced by the other variable. Changes in doctor’s seriousness change treatment access and provisions for the mentally ill. Changes in this variable cannot impact physician seriousness in following up. In addition, this variable cannot be manipulated in order to observe changes in the other variable. In conclusion, the dependent variable is the one that is observed for the effect caused by the independent variable (Losh, 2017) . On the other hand, an independent variable is the one that cause impact on the other variable(s).
Reference
Wilkinson, L., Bouma, G. D., & Carland, S. (2019). The research process . Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press.
Losh, S. C. (2017). Dependent and Independent Variables. The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory , 1–3. doi: 10.1002/9781118430873.est0622
