Determine the effectiveness of a self-care intervention (Tiredness Management Guide [TMG]) on postpartum fatigue.

Troy and Dalgas-Pelish (2003) conducted a quasi-experimental study to determine the effectiveness

of a self-care intervention (Tiredness Management Guide [TMG]) on postpartum fatigue. The study

subjects included 68 primiparous mothers, who were randomly assigned to either the experimental

group (32 subjects) or the control group (36 subjects) using a computer program. The results of

the study indicated that the TMG was effective in reducing levels of morning postpartum fatigue

from the 2nd to 4th weeks postpartum. These researchers recommend that “mothers need to be

informed that they will probably experience postpartum fatigue and be taught to assess and manage

this phenomenon” (Troy & Dalgas-Pelish, 2003, pp. 44-5).

Relevant Study Results

“A total of 80 women were initially enrolled [in the study] . . . twelve of these women dropped out

of the study resulting in a final sample of 68.” (Troy & Dalgas-Pelish, 2003, p. 39). The researchers

presented the characteristics of their sample in a table format for the experimental and control

groups (see Table 1). The researchers found no significant differences between the control and

experimental groups for any of the demographic or attribute variables.

1.  What demographic variables were measured at least at the interval level of measurement?
   2.    What statistics were used to describe the length of labor in this study? Were these appropriate?
   3.    What other statistic could have been used to describe the length of labor? Provide a rationale for your answer.
   4.    Were the distributions of scores similar for the experimental and control groups for the length of labor? Provide a rationale for your answer.
   5.    Were the experimental and control groups similar in their type of feeding? Provide a rationale for your answer.
   6.    What was the marital status mode for the subjects in the experimental and control groups? Provide both the frequency and percentage for the marital status mode for both groups.
   7.    Could a median be determined for the education data? If so, what would the median be for education for the experimental and the control groups? Provide a rationale for your answer.
   8.    Can the findings from this study be generalized to Black women? Provide a rationale for your answer.
   9.    If there were 32 subjects in the experimental group and 36 subjects in the control group, why is the income data only reported for 30 subjects in the experimental group and 34 subjects in the control group?
   10.    Was the sample for this study adequately described? Provide a rationale for your answer.

Last Completed Projects