Running head: data presentation

Data Presentation
Katie Brogan
Wayne State University

data presentation

Clients demographic information was obtained during the admission process into the
treatment facility. During the admission process information was obtained from clients from a
self-report assessment form completed by the client. The self-report assessment form included
questions regarding gender, ethnic, age along with a 15 questions relating to negative behaviors.
The 15 questions that related to undesirable behavior examined items including nightmares,
angry outburst, sadness, bad thoughts, fear, and withdrawal, along with other feelings or actions.
Once the initial assessment was completed the clients were randomly divided into two
treatment groups, the new treatment group and routine treatment group. Once divided into the
two separate treatment groups the clients were divided randomly into three cottages, cottage A,
cottage B, or cottage C. Data was tracked once the participants entered into the treatment
groups. The data included number of serious behavioral incidents, whether or not they earn off
campus privileges, number of the canceled therapy sessions and the quality of therapist-client
relationship.
Descriptive statistics conducted examined the demographic characteristics of the clients
that participated in this study. The results revealed this study included 50 participants ranging
from 7 years old to 15 years old. There were 25 females and 25 males, 40% are Caucasian, 30%
African American, 26% are Hispanic, and 4% reported being other. Table 1 presents gender and
ethnicity and age of the sample. Analysis reveals that there are equal number of males and
females, with the majority of clients Caucasian and ten years old.
Both of the treatment groups, the new and the routine had 25 clients participating.
Behavioral incidents for both groups ranged from 0 to 22, 0 representing no behavioral incidents
with 22 being the highest number of behavioral incidents. Out of the 50 participants the mean
serious behavioral incidents are 5.50 with a standard deviation of 5.48. The standard deviation is

data presentation

high due to the large range of 0 22 for behavioral incidents. Table 3 represents serious
behavioral incidents sample.
Table 1: Demographic Characteristics of Sample
n (%)
Gender
Male
Female

25 (50%)
25 (50%)

Race
Caucasian
African American
Hispanic
Other

20 (40%)
15 (30%)
13 (26%)
2 (4%)

Age
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen

2 (4%)
3 (6%)
8 (16%)
11 (22%)
9 (18%)
5 (10%)
7 (14%)
3 (6%)
2 (4%)

Table 2

Number of Serious Behavioral Incidents

n
50

Mean
5.50

SD
5.48

This study may not represent the population with the distribution of gender and ethnic of
the participants in this study. Over 80% of youth with mental health problems are male and 90%
Caucasian. With the difference in the demographics of the study and the demographics of
individuals that suffer from mental illness different one should caution over generalizing the
findings of this study.

data presentation

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a new developed
intervention for treating traumatized youth. This study focused on Gender, Ethnicity, serious
behaviors, and number of traumas. This study examined 3 research questions. The questions
along with the associated alternative and null hypotheses are listed below. The tests were
performed at an alpha and rejected at the level of 0.05.
Research Question 1: What is the relationship between gender and treatment group?
Null Hypotheses 1: There is no relationship between gender and treatment group.
Alternative Hypotheses 1: There is a relationship between gender and treatment group
Research Meaning: There is an uneven distribution of male and female participants in the new
and routine treatment groups. The new treatment group is comprised of 36% male and 56%
female. The second group is comprised of 56% male and 36% are female. The Pearson chisquare results indicate the difference in the two treatment groups.
Pearson Chi-Square

Value
3.92

df
1

Kendalls tau-b
-.280

Research Question 2: Is there an association between number of traumas and number of serious
behaviors?
Null Hypotheses 2: There is no association between number of traumas and the number of
serious behaviors.
Alternative Hypotheses: There is an association between number of traumas and the number of
serious behaviors.
Independent Variable: Traumas
Dependent Variable: Serious Behaviors
Research Meaning: A correlation analysis was done to determine the relationship between and
the number of serious behaviors and number of traumas. The Kendalls tau-b revealed a

data presentation

statistical significance at .888. The more traumas a youth suffered the more serious behaviors
that were also self-reported.
Research Question 3: Is there a relationship between gender and the number of serious
behaviors?
Null Hypotheses 3: There is no relationship between gender and the number of serious behaviors.
Alternative Hypotheses 3: There is a relationship between gender and the number of serious
behaviors.
Independent Variable: Gender
Dependent Variable: Serious Bahaviors
Research Meaning: Statistical analysis was conducted to determine if there was a relationship
between gender and the number of serious behaviors self-reported. The Mean for male is 5.440
with a standard deviation of 3.96947. The mean for female is 5.56 with a standard deviation
6.75204. The mean corresponds to no significant difference in serious behaviors between male
and females.
Implications
Children that have experienced serious trauma often have serious behaviors as a result.
Serious behaviors include difficulty expressing and managing emotions along with difficulty
expressing their feelings. (Network, 2014) The Great Smoky Mountains Study of 1,420 children
found that 67.8% of children were exposed to at least one traumatic event. (Fairbank, 2008)
Most children that have experienced trauma that causes them distress do not receive
psychological services or receive a wide variety of treatments that have not been empirically
studied. (Association, 2014)

data presentation

The results of this studied showed that clients that received the new treatment received
more off campus privileges and a decrease in trauma symptoms. The study placed individuals
into treatments groups randomly allocating more females into the new treatment group. This
higher percentage of females into the new treatment group makes the results of this study less
generalizable, as more males suffer from behaviors associated from traumas. This study needs to
be duplicated with a population that more matches the population that suffers from traumas.
As professional Social Workers it is essential that we use empirically studied treatments
when working with clients to provide the best ethical services provided. One study alone is not
enough to prove that new treatment will be the best treatment for clients. Studies need to be
duplicated by several researches and implemented by serval different professionals to ensure the
treatment is not biased.

data presentation

Bibliography
Ashford, J., & Lecroy, C. W. (2010). Human Behavior in the Social Environment, A
Multidemensional Perspective 5th addition. Belmont: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.
Association, A. P. (2014, December). Children and Trauma. Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/children-trauma-update.aspx
Fairbank, J. A. (2008, January). National Center for PTSD Research Quarterly. Retrieved from
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/newsletters/research-quarterly/V19N1.pdf
Network, T. N. (2014, December 15). Retrieved from http://www.nctsn.org/traumatypes/complex-trauma/effects-of-complex-trauma
Rubin , A. (2014). Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice and Evaluation. Belmont:
Brooks/Cole.