The article by Posada et al. (2010) focuses on the investigation of the effect produced by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on patients’ neurobehavioral symptoms. Researchers note that despite the attention of scholars to neuropsychological deficits of HCV-positive individuals, little regard has been paid to behavioral manifestations. The study involves two groups with the almost identical number of participants (35 HCV- and 36 HCV+). To evaluate findings, Posada et al. (2010) have employed the multiple regression. The paper offers the analysis of the research methodology, variables, and the study design. Also, the strengths and weaknesses of research are discussed, and improvements for the research design are offered.
The research methodology used by the authors is the quantitative self-report approach. This study design has presupposed the respondents to complete the self-report version of the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe) (Posada et al., 2010).
The FrSBe contains 46 statements enabling the generation of a total front dysfunction score and three subscale scores, the latter including disinhibition, apathy, and executive dysfunction. The ratings of the FrSBe are on a Likert-type scale fluctuating from 1 to 5, where 1 means “almost never,” and 5 means “almost always” (Posada et al., 2010, p. 639). The higher the rating, the more abnormal behavior they denote.
The hypothesis of the study has been that HCV influences the central nervous system “in a subset of infected individuals” (Posada et al., 2010, p. 638). In order to test this hypothesis, the independent and dependent variables have been used. The behavioral symptoms of the HCV+ patients compose the independent variable. The dependent variable is represented by the “FrSBe T scores (after) for the total score and the three subscales scores,” where T stands for apathy subscale mean (Posada et al., 2010, p. 639). The authors emphasize that while the primary aim of the FrSBe is the evaluation of behavioral change in neurological conditions with a distinct onset, this approach has been widely exploited in the conditions without a clear onset.
The results of research indicate that HCV+ patients have significantly higher T scores on the FrSBe total as compared with HCV- individuals. The same results are reported for the disinhibition, apathy, and executive dysfunction (Posada et al., 2010). Meanwhile, at the group level, only one indicator, apathy, is clinically elevated in HCV+ participants. In the dimension of neuropsychological functioning, HCV+ patients have a significantly higher overall neuropsychological shortage than HCV- individuals.
The study’s major strength is the analysis of a previously under-examined factor related to the effect produced by HCV on individuals’ neurobehavioral symptoms. The biggest weakness is the sample size that is quite small. Still, the scholars note that the number of participants is comparable to that in similar studies. Another limitation is concerned with the primary purpose of the FrSBe. Initially, this scale was developed for the conditions having a clear onset. Since HCV does not have such a distinct onset, the scale may not have produced the most reliable results.
Several improvements may be offered for the selected research design. First of all, it is necessary to enroll a larger number of participants in order to gain more reliable results. Secondly, it is crucial to apply a more suitable scale for the condition under the investigation. Finally, a comparison between current and prior results should be made to observe the differences between them. Overall, despite some limitations, the study performed by Posada et al. (2010) has a great value for specialists dealing with HCV+ patients.
Reference
Posada, C., Moore, D. J., Woods, S. P., Vigil, O., Ake, C., Perry, W., …Grant, I. (2010). Implications of hepatitis C virus infection for behavioral symptoms and activities of daily living. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 32(6), 637-644. Web.