Emotional Responses and Anger Expression Related to COVID-19

Introduction

The purpose of critical appraisal of research articles is to develop increased clarity of issues presented in the study and process the existing evidence in them to be debated to determine the value and credibility of the article (LoBiondo-Wood and Haber, 2021). In this assignment, the factors which influenced argument, clashing of intellect and feeling of anger on others due to COVID-19 confrontation or not following COVID-19 protocols will be focussed. For this purpose, a potential article will be chosen for critical analysis to gather valued evidence regarding the topic. If you require assistance with your healthcare dissertation, then consider seeking healthcare dissertation help in place to ensure that your work meets all the standards. The use of a critical analysis framework will be executed to examine and analyse the strength and weaknesses of the methods, designs and others of the chosen article.

Research

Research is defined as the systematic examination of the study materials and sources to gather new information and develop understanding to establish facts regarding any topic to reach a new conclusion (Clark et al., 2021). The importance of executing research is that it helps in developing evidence for filling the gaps in knowledge and altering as well as directing the way health professionals are to work in managing any health issue (Silverman et al., 2021).

Qualitative/ Quantitative Methodology

In research, two key investigation approaches used are quantitative and qualitative methodology. The quantitative methodology involves emphasising the objective measurement as well as mathematical, statistical or numerical analysis of gathered data through questionnaires, survey or polls or by manipulation of pre-existing statistical information with the help of computational techniques (Reiner, 2018). The purpose of the quantitative methodology is to classify the features to be presented in the study, count them and develop a statistical model for attempting the observed explanation of the features (Wilson et al., 2018). The advantage of using the approach is that it allows increased sample size to be reached that increases generalisability of the results and allows performing the study to be quickly with randomised selection of samples (Xynidis et al., 2019). However, the disadvantage with the approach is that it leads to express limited analysis of data, expensive and time-consuming to be performed (Reiner, 2018). In the current study, quantitative article is being chosen instead of the limitation because it provides updated data in brief manner within limited which is required due to less time availability in performing the studies.

In contrast, the qualitative methodology is the approach in which the non-numerical data are collected and analysed through text, video or audio to understand the opinion, concept and experiences of participants regarding the topic. The purpose of qualitative methodology is to develop knowledge and create in-depth understanding of the social world regarding any topic of concern (Cristancho et al., 2018). The advantage of using the approach is that it helps capturing the feelings and attitude of the target population regarding the topic and reveal an in-depth understanding of the gathered data with a flexible approach (Sibeoni et al., 2020). However, the disadvantage of the approach is that it leads to create difficulty in replicating results in their true meaning due to the differences in perspectives of the researcher and the participants (Safi et al., 2018). Thus, to avoid gathering of information that are influenced by the researcher’s views, the qualitative article is avoided to be used in the study.

Background/ Rationale

In selecting the article for critical analysis, the specific area to be researched is personal attitude of the people in revealing or confronting Covid-19 pandemic. Research in this area is required because after the appearance of the Covid-19 situation, many people affected by the condition are seen to react inappropriately and with increased anger which has led to unnecessary arguments with others creating an environment of chaos. This is evident as with the emergence of Covid-19 many related measures are asked by the government to be taken by the common people which are unexpected to them and are responsible in creating disruption in the normal course of life of the individuals (Wolf et al., 2020). The emergence of Covid-19 pandemic has led people to get confined to their homes and remain in isolation from social life due to social distancing measures for the condition announced by the government. This has made people develop unnecessary mood changes and mental pressure which contributed to their hindered mentality and behavioural expression during confrontation regarding Covid-19 and its measures (Van Rheenen et al., 2020).

The study by Evans et al. (2020) has mentioned that longer period of risk and uncertainty regarding any complex health issues makes the community develop conflicting attitudes and feelings regarding the condition out of fear and confusion regarding the situation. It leads them to show lower resilience to accept healthcare measures and rules which creates hindrance for the government in controlling peace in the communities. In the current Covid-19 condition, the scientist has mentioned such uncertainty as the amount of time required to manage the disease is unable to be interpreted and its range of effect on the health of the patients is still under examination. It has led to raise anger and frustration regarding COVID-19 condition among the public. Thus, the current research is selected to explain in detail which factors are responsible for increasing anger and confrontation during Covid-19 pandemic. It is important as it makes the health and social workers have idea and knolwdege regarding the aspects to be managed in controlling peaceful social environment.

Reference

Smith, L.E., Duffy, B., Moxham-Hall, V., Strang, L., Wessely, S. and Rubin, G.J., 2021. Anger and confrontation during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national cross-sectional survey in the UK. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 114(2), pp.77-90.

Part 2:

Methodology

The study by Smith et al. (2020) uses the quantitative methodological background in executing the research of the topic. The methodology is suitable to execute the current study because it allowed to gather larger sample for analysing the developed hypothesis which also made it easier towards reaching generate conclusion in accurate manner. The quantitative methodology allows inclusion of additional data from large participant size that helps in ensuring greater credibility of the research because the statistical analysis provides greater depth to the review (Bruner et al., 2019). The assurance of the credibility of the research is essential because it ensures the findings are trustworthy to be used as evidence and are real to be implemented in practical field in delivering care (Greenhalgh, 2019). In this study, the quantitative methodology is credible because it has present detailed context of research and way assumptions are made in developing the study.

The quantitative methodology allows quick gathering of information in real-time scenario which helps in taking a data-centred approach towards tackling any problem (Parmar et al., 2018). Thus, the use of the methodology in the current study is useful as it would lead to quicker identification of the factors to be controlled that are leading to anger and confrontation during Covid-19 situation and creating unnecessary conflict in the society. The quantitative methodology allows researchers to create an enhanced focus on any specific facts to be studies in the general population. The method is useful in presence of series of data points within particular demographic population as it assists in understanding the behaviour, decision or action taken by the population from a social viewpoint (Gardner et al., 2017). Thus, the use of the method is useful in the current study as it helped in gathering information about the series of factors that are leading to anger and confirmation during Covid-19 pandemic in the UK which is causing hindered societal condition.

Sample

In the study by Smith et al. (2020), the sample participants are gathered through quota sampling on the basis of few of the traits such as age working status, social grade and gender. The quota sampling is used in studies that aim to examine the characteristics of any certain sub-group as it helps in recruiting participants according to the preferred qualities required to ensure the sample is ideally chosen to be useful for the study (Min et al., 2020). In the current study, the quota sampling is appropriate because it helped in selecting the participants based on the specific characteristics mentioned in the study. The advantage of the quota sampling is that it helps in gathering individuals as sample who effectively represent the entire target population (Muto et al., 2020). In the current study, the sample gathered through quota sampling does represent the target population because the characteristics focussed for choosing the sample was appropriately maintained with the help of the approach. The use of quota sampling is appropriate for the quantitative study of Smith et al. (2020) because it helped in gathering subgroup of people who are the main interest in the study.

The study by Smith et al. (2020) identifies the sample initially by sending approximately 40,000 links of the survey to the UK general population on the basis of the characteristics set in quota sampling. Among them, 89% of the people did not access the link and 17% who accessed the link started by did not finished the survey. The few others who accessed the survey were excluded as they did not meet the quota target. Thus, sample in the study was finally identified from the population through screening as the socio-economic data was unavailable for them. Thus, the sample size selected is 2237 individuals from the UK at the end.

The chosen sample size shows a 95% confidence interval with ±2% points regarding the prevalence of the estimates for every item in the study. It leads to provide high statistical reliability in the study. The presence of large sample size in the research helps to develop enhanced accurate mean values along with assist in identifying outlines that could skew the data as seen in small sample size. Moreover, larger sample size leads to create smaller error of margin in data presentation (Anderson et al., 2017). Thus, the use of the large sample size in the current study represent increased validity of the study as it promoted lower error which leads to impart greater power and precision in the presentation of the study.

Investigative methods

The survey design is used by the researchers as a part of quantitative methodological approach to gather information regarding the study. The survey investigation approach is effective for the study because it is easier to be administered, use less time compared to other methods in development of the study, cost-effective and can be executed remotely which reduces geographical dependence (Rahmalan et al., 2020). Thus, the survey method is used so that adequate data can be gathered with cost-effectiveness and in a time-effective way. In the study by Smith et al. (2020), the quantitative methodological approach has been implemented by allowing gathering of quantitative data through survey questionnaire that contains different items based on which data are gathered. It is evident as the survey is made on the basis of items such as anger, confrontation, self-reported protective measures, beliefs and knolwdege regarding Covid-19.

In measuring the anger of the participants, they were asked regarding any current arguments made regarding Covid-19 with friends, level of the arguments, are they not speaking to friends due to arguments and others. In measuring confrontation, the participants were asked to report in which situations they have confronted for or by someone regarding not maintaining Covid-19 protocol. The self-reported protective behaviour is determined on the basis of the frequency of use of mask and maintaining 2m distance from one another in the past 2 weeks. This is because level of understanding and reciprocation of measures for disease prevention indicates their level of self-protective behaviour for the disease (Curci et al., 2020). In measuring the beliefs and knowledge of individuals regarding Covid-19, the participants were asked regarding the extent to which they personally perceive Covid-19 as a risk for others and themselves as well as ways they think Covid-19 would affect them and others in the next month. This is because understanding of the individual’s belief regarding health issues acts as support to understand the attitude among the general population to be controlled to avoid panic regarding the disease (da Silva Junior et al., 2020).

Ethics

The ethical consideration in the study is important as it helps to ensure that the study has been conducted in a moral and legal way (Alderson and Morrow, 2020). In the study, the ethical approval is accessed from the King’s College, London Research Ethics Committee with reference no- MRA-19/20-18251. This indicates that appropriate measures are taken to ensure and prove that the study is been tried to be conducted ethically. In addition to the ethical approval, to ensure ethical consideration, the study has avoided sharing information of any participants. This helps in protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the client along with avoid them abuse or harm from society due to revelation of the personal data. In the study, no confirmation has been made whether informative consents are accessed from the participants for their inclusion in the study. Thus, it remains unclear whether the participants have involved in the study by understanding the way their responses are to be used in framing the research.

In the study by Smith et al. (2020), no specific considerations are mentioned that approved the well-being of the participants are maintained in all conditions. Moreover, the study lack information about the features that are harmful for the participants and the way they are to be protected from any harm in the study. There is no information about the way quality issues in the research is maintained. Thus, it raises doubt regarding the way reliability and validity of the study is been proved by overcoming issues. The consequence of the participants as a result of involvement in the study is not effectively informed but it is mentioned that they were involved in prize draw at the end of the survey. However, the use of the draw for the participants are mentioned clearly in the study.

Analysis

The study by Smith et al. (2020) has effectively mentioned each of the methods used for analysis of the data. It is evident as the study mentioned that for each set of the data analysis, univariate and multivariate regression analysis is conducted. The multivariate analysis is important as it assist in understanding relation between different variables within the dataset. Moreover, it assists in correlating independent and dependent variables (Zhang, 2017). In addition, univariate analysis involves gathering data to summarise them and understand the patterns in the data (Chatfield and Collins, 2018). Thus, the use of both methods in the data analysis helps in drawing pattern among variables and understanding the way they are related with another in causing anger and confrontation faced during Covid-19 pandemic among the UK population.

The study by Smith et al. (2020) performed logistic regression analysis for examining the relation between someone else being attracted with other and their anger, beliefs and knowledge regarding Covid-19 and impact of self-reported protective behaviour, socio-demographic characteristics, psychological factors and others. The importance of using logistic regression is that it helps in identifying the relation between a dependent variable with one or more independent variables. It assists in explaining the likelihood of any action to occur in the scenario (Niu, 2020). Thus, it is useful as it helps in effectively mentioning the likelihood of occurrence of any particular factor to cause anger and confrontation among UK population in Covid-19 situation.

Recommendations

The study by Smith et al. (2020) mentioned that easing of Covid-19 restriction create increased opportunity for anger as well as confrontation among the UK public. This evidence indicates that in the rules regarding COVID-19 management are to be made stricter to avoid unnecessary anger and arguments among the people. The study also mentioned that anger during Covid-19 is found mostly among young people and increased facing of financial difficulties among people also contributed towards their hindered mood. Thus, the facts lead to imply that effective opportunity of financial availability through remote work opportunities is to be created among the UK population to make them remain clam and show stable mood in the Coid-19 situation.

Part 3:

The study provided no specific recommendations for the way the authorities are to act, but the facts that can be recommended based on the data informed that young population in the UK are to be provided more protection and support psychological support in coping with the risk of Covid-19. The other recommendation developed is that authenticated source of information for Covid-19 condition are to be informed to the general population so that they are not mislead by the fake news published in social media. The UK population are to be informed regarding the way they are to detect authenticated information sources and debunk misinformation and conspiration theories that are making them vulnerable to face anger. In additional, psychological support for all individuals in the UK is to be made available so that they can access support for mood control that are hindered by various issues created by the current restricted situation.

One of the limitations faced in the study is use of quota sampling led to create doubt regarding the representativeness of the attitude and views of the participants with the UK population. Moreover, the use of cross-sectional research leads to hinder understanding of the cause and effect relationship of the variables. In some of the multivariate analysis, high percentage of data were missing that may have led to error in data presentation. Further, no validated measure was used to detect the level of mental distress of the people due to which the level of anger difference among individuals based on different factors are unable to be interpreted in the study.

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Continue your journey with our comprehensive guide to Distinctions Between Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodologies.