Chaney- Funinhalor

Question 1

What is operative conditioning?

Answer 1

Learning through consequences and rewards. So if the behaviour is rewarded, then the desired behaviour is reinforced for the individual so they repeat it.

Question 2

Poor adherence to medical regimes

Answer 2

On a video based study, it was revealed that only half the participants used their inhaler correctly.

Question 3

Chaney’s suggestion to improve adherence to medical regimes.

Answer 3

Chaney suggested that one way to improve adherence to medical regimes in asthmatic children is to introduce positive enforcement within the inhalers.

Question 4

Study Aim

Answer 4

To test whether a ‘funnhaler’ could provide positive reinforcement to improve adherence in child asthmatics compared to a normal inhaler.

Question 5

Research method

Answer 5

Filed experiment (participant’s homes in Perth, Australia) , using repeated measures design

Question 6

Independent variable

Answer 6

standard volume spacer device
new device called the ‘funhaler’

Question 7

Dependent variable

Answer 7

The amount of adherence to the prescribed medical regime measured through the self report method

Question 8

Sample

Answer 8

32 children (22 male and 10 female) from Perth, Australia
All with asthma for an average of two years

Question 9

Procedure 1

Answer 9

Parents of children are contacted by phone and then visited at home with the study explained to them.
Once written informed consent was given by the parents, they were then interviewed using a questionnaire with yes/no or fixed choice questions

Question 10

Procedure 2

Answer 10

Parents are asked characteristics of their children and any problems with the medication. They weren’t shown the inhaler yet.

Question 11

Procedure 3

Answer 11

Parents are given the funhaler in replacement of the standard inhaler they were using for the two weeks

Question 12

Procedure 4

Answer 12

Parents are randomly called through the two weeks to ask if their child used the inhaler the day previously

Question 13

Procedure 5

Answer 13

Parents are visited at the end of the two weeks period and the second questionnaire was used to ask if their children showed compliance to using their medication.

Question 14

Results

Answer 14

81% of parents were found to have medicated their children the previous day when compared to using the standard inhaler 59%.

Question 15

Results 2

Answer 15

30% more children took the recommended 4 or more deep breaths per aerosol delivery when using the funhaler.

Question 16

Conclusion

Answer 16

Operant conditioning through the use of the funhaler is useful for managing the medical regimes of young asthmatics, encouraging young children and parents to adhere to the treatment through the use of an incentive toy.

Question 17

Research method (strength)

Answer 17

High ecological validity- The setting of the participants being in their own home means that the results can be generalized back to their usual setting.

Question 18

Research method (weakness)

Answer 18

Low controls over situational variables, parents may forget or they may go out.

Question 19

Sample (strength)

Answer 19

Children are harder access as parents may not want their children participating in experiments due to factors.

Question 20

Sample (weakness)

Answer 20

Ethnocentric- children are from a culture where medication is easily accessible so will be used to using medication for an extended period of time.

Question 21

Type of data (strength)

Answer 21

Quantitative data- Quantifiable measures makes data easy to compare to make out any trends or patterns occurring, also very objective.

Question 22

Type of data (weakness)

Answer 22

Qualiative data- Subjective so cannot make definitive conclusions.

Question 23

Usefulness

Answer 23

Able to create prac applications

Question 24

Not useful

Answer 24

Cannot be generalized to other cultures such as Asia.

Question 25

Ethical

Answer 25

Parents need written permission in order to allow their child to take part in the experiment, ethical principle of respect

Question 26

Unethical

Answer 26

Some children might’ve really disliked the noise made sue to other factors such as autism. can give them a sensory overload.

Question 27

Free will

Answer 27

only

Question 28

Determinism

Question 29

Scientific

Question 30

Non scientific