A SUMMARY OR REPORT ON THE QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY.

The objective of this summary written is to study and summarize the methods and techniques of this experimental design. As in this Can Coaching Reduce Workplace Stress? A Quasi-Experimental Study, the report was conducted in the method of quasi-experimental study. 1. Why this research use this quasi-experimental design as a research design? The researcher use quasi experimental design as the design of a quasi-experiment relates to a particular experiment or study in which one has little or no control over the allocation of the treatments or other factors being studied. The key difference in this empirical approach is the lack of random assignment. This quasi-experiment refers to a type of research design that shares many similarities with the traditional experimental design or randomized controlled trial, but specifically lacks the element of random assignment. (Wiki. 2012)Without random assignment, participants did not have the same chance of being assigned to a given treatment condition to ensures that both the experimental and control groups are equivalent. The primary drawback of quasi-experimental designs is that they cannot eliminate the possibility of confounding bias, which can hinder ones ability to draw causal inferences. This drawback is often used to discount quasi-experimental results. However, such bias can be controlled for using various statistical techniques such as multiple regression, if one can identify and measure the confounding variable(s). In sum, quasi-experiments are a valuable tool, especially for the applied researcher. On their own, quasi-experimental designs do not allow one to make definitive causal inferences; however, the researcher may provide necessary and valuable information that cannot be obtained by experimental methods alone. 2. What are the samples that use in this research? Explain the reason. Stratified samples were used in this quasi-experimental study. It is also known as categorized sampling as it dividing the population into groups according to some characteristics that is important to the study, then sampling from each of the categorized groups. 3. What the data analysis used in this research? Explain the reason. ANOVA & DASS-21 were used on this quasi-experimental study.

Analysis of Variance(ANOVA) In this research, analysis of variance (ANOVA) used is a collection of statistical models, and their associated procedures, in which the observed variance in a particular variable is partitioned into components attributable to different sources of variation. In its simplest form, ANOVA provides a statistical test of whether or not the means of several groups are all equal, and therefore generalizes t-test to more than two groups. Doing multiple two-sample t-tests would result in an increased chance of committing a type I error. For this reason, ANOVAs are useful in comparing two, three, or more means. The DASS is a set of three self-report scales designed to measure the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress. The DASS was constructed not merely as another set of scales to measure conventionally defined emotional states, but to further the process of defining, understanding, and measuring the ubiquitous and clinically significant emotional states usually described as depression, anxiety and stress. The DASS should thus meet the requirements of both researchers and scientist-professional clinicians. The DASS in research may be administered either in groups or individually for research purposes. The capacity to discriminate between the three related states of depression, anxiety and stress should be useful to researchers concerned with the nature, aetiology and mechanisms of emotional disturbance. 4. What are the advantages and disadvantages by using this quasi-experimental design as a research design? Advantages Since quasi-experimental designs are used when randomization is impractical and/or unethical, they are typically easier to set up than true experimental designs, which require random assignment of subjects. Additionally, utilizing quasi-experimental designs minimizes threats to external validity as natural environments do not suffer the same problems of artificiality as compared to a well-controlled laboratory setting. Since quasi-experiments are natural experiments, findings in one may be applied to other subjects and settings, allowing for some generalizations to be made about population. Also, this experimentation method is efficient in longitudinal research that involves longer time periods which can be followed up in different environments. Disadvantages

The control allowed through the manipulation of the quasi-independent variable can lead to unnatural circumstances; although the dangers of artificiality are considerably less relative to true experiments (quasi-experimental designs are often chosen for field studies where the random assignment of experimental subjects is impractical, unethical, or impossible). Also, the lack of random assignment in the quasi-experimental design method may allow studies to be more feasible, but this also poses many challenges for the investigator in terms of internal validity. This deficiency in randomization makes it harder to rule out confounding variables and introduces new threats to internal validity. Because randomization is absent, some knowledge about the data can be approximated, but conclusions of causal relationships are difficult to determine due to a variety of extraneous and confounding variables that exist in a social environment. Moreover, even if these threats to internal validity are assessed, causation still cannot be fully established because the experimenter does not have total control over extraneous variables. 5. Brief Summary of every chapter. 5.1 Abstract This part explain on the thirty-one selected participants which have been categorized in this quasi-experimental study. Besides, this research also measure DASS-21 (depression, anxiety and stress) in the pre-test as well as post-test on both experimental and control groups. Mixed ANOVAs were used in this research to find the significant interactions of variables in this research. The main statement for this research was also stated in this part. 5.2 Introduction, The Aim of Study & Review of Literature The first variable in this research was defined and relate with other factors that is third party. These were followed by explaining both variables and state the relationship of these two variables. The researcher chooses to use quasi experimental study as he states that this research is a qualitative study. However, this study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches and investigates the impact of the variable in several areas. Three surveys which related to the variables were conducted to both pre-test and post-test. The early assumptions for these researches are that both qualitative and quantitative methodologies produced a different findings regarding coaching and stress. In this research, twenty adult post-graduate students participated as the respondents in the coaching programme that involved developing specific goals and attending ten group coaching sessions which means these respondents will go through the process of pre-test and posttest.

The researcher refers this study based on previous study to aim for this study.. This study was conducted in three parts using a quasi-experimental design, a correlational design and a qualitative design. The main objective of this study was investigated and stated in this first chapter of research. As for the hypothesis, besides stating the main hypothesis, the researcher also specified the hypothesis more precise. As in this section, the researcher also reviews on numbers of literature of previous studies besides gives some opinion on it. From the previous study, the researcher found the gap of this research and hence led the researcher on this topic of research. This also can be understand as interpretive summary of the current state of knowledge that relevant and related to this research topic. 5.3 Results This research used DASS-21 as in questionnaire to identify the level of depression, anxiety, and stress. The result shows table of pre-and-post test group. In the result researcher group the variables with different levels of DASS (depression, anxiety and stress). The DASS is a set of three self-report scales designed to measure the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress. The DASS was constructed not merely as another set of scales to measure conventionally defined emotional states, but to further the process of defining, understanding, and measuring the ubiquitous and clinically significant emotional states usually described as depression, anxiety and stress. The DASS should thus meet the requirements of both researchers and scientist-professional clinicians. Each of the three DASS scales contains 14 items, divided into subscales of 2-5 items with similar content. The Depression scale assesses dysphoria, hopelessness, devaluation of life, self-deprecation, lack of interest/involvement, anhedonia, and inertia. The Anxiety scale assesses autonomic arousal, skeletal muscle effects, situational anxiety, and subjective experience of anxious affect. The Stress scale is sensitive to levels of chronic non-specific arousal. It assesses difficulty relaxing, nervous arousal, and being easily upset/agitated, irritable/over-reactive and impatient. Subjects are asked to use 4-point severity/frequency scales to rate the extent to which they have experienced each state over the past week. Scores for Depression, Anxiety and Stress are calculated by summing the scores for the relevant items. Note also that an earlier version of the DASS scales was referred to as the Self-Analysis Questionnaire (SAQ).

As the scales of the DASS have been shown to have high internal consistency and to yield meaningful discriminations in a variety of settings, the scales should meet the needs of both researchers and clinicians who wish to measure current state or change in state over time (e.g., in the course of treatment) on the three dimensions of depression, anxiety and stress.The DASS in research may be administered either in groups or individually for research purposes. The capacity to discriminate between the three related states of depression, anxiety and stress should be useful to researchers concerned with the nature, aetiology and mechanisms of emotional disturbance. The pre-test of the experimental group was investigated in order to determine whether there were any differences in the three variables between the experimental group and control group. The results were useful as it has been suggested. That it is possible to draw conclusion in the non-equivalent control group design if the baseline score are similar.There are three graphs in this research, those graphs representing the changes each levels. In the first graph does not support hypothesis and other two graphs do support the hypothesis. The experimental data obtained refer to the participants in the coaching group. The total number of coaching session differed between individuals and session. They use likertscale question relating to the experimental data effectiveness. 5.4 Methods This study was quasi-experimental and a non-equivalent groups pretest posttest design was used (Baker, Pistrang & Elliot, 2002). An experimental group and a control group participated in the DASS (depression, anxiety and stress) was measured in pre-and-post test processes. A quasi-experimental design was suitable for the study as it was not possible to randomise individuals into conditions or to have the level of control over the variables. More importantly, the current study aimed to investigate whether coaching produced beneficial results as it is practiced in actual workplace settings. A Quasi- Experimental Design is exactly the same as True Experimental Design EXCEPT that there is no random assignment of participants to groups. That is the only difference between the two types of designs, but it is a very important difference. Without both random assignment and manipulation of a variable, the researcher can't make cause and effect conclusions. Sometimes it just is not possible to randomly assign participants to groups. By running the study any cause and effect conclusions cannot be made. 5.4.1 Design

The first part of creating a quasi-experimental design is to identify the variables. The quasi-independent variable will be the x-variable, the variable that is manipulated in order to affect a dependent variable. X is generally a grouping variable with different levels. Grouping means two or more groups such as a treatment group and a placebo or control group (placebos are more frequently used in medical or physiological experiments). The predicted outcome is the dependent variable, which is the y-variable. In a time series analysis, the dependent variable is observed over time for any changes that may take place. Once the variables have been identified and defined, a procedure should then be implemented and group differences should be examined. 5.4.2 Participants (Organisation & Individual Participants) The whole organization was directly and indirectly involved in this research. With an excess of 3,500 employees participated in the study, a considerable proportion of the business conducted by the organisation was telephone based. The employees at the site were picked as the respondents of this quasi experimental design. On the other hand, all individuals which involved in this research were asked if they would like to participate in the study. The participants in the control group had never received the treatment of either in pre0test or post-test. Completion of the study involved completing the same questionnaire twice. In the first phase seventy questionnaires were administrated and forty-two were returned. In the second phase forty-two questionnaires were administrated and thirty-one were returned. Thus, thirty-one participants completed the study, sixteen in the coaching group and fifteen in the control group. Seventeen males and fifteen females took part, with a mean age of 32 years, and all participants worked full-time. 5.4.3 Procedure The data collection took place over an eight months time period. In the experimental group the questionnaires were completed in pre-test and poet-test stages. In the control group the participants completed the questionnaires at the start of the study and at the end of the study. The questionnaires were administered and returned sealed in a collection box at the worksite or via post to the researchers. 5.4.4 The Questionnaire The questionnaire used in the study included demographic variables, questions relating to number of coaching sessions and effectiveness of coaching, job satisfaction, stressors and strain. This tool has been found to be a reliable and valid risk assessment measure of workplace stressors in the UK (Cousins, Mackay, Clarke, Kelly, Kelly & McCaig,

2004). Strain was measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). DASS-21 has been found to be a valid and reliable measure of depression, anxiety and stress in a non-clinical sample of this research population. 5.4.5 Analysis of Data by Using Analysis of Variance(ANOVA) In this research, analysis of variance (ANOVA) used is a collection of statistical models, and their associated procedures, in which the observed variance in a particular variable is partitioned into components attributable to different sources of variation. In its simplest form, ANOVA provides a statistical test of whether or not the means of several groups are all equal, and therefore generalizes t-test to more than two groups. Doing multiple two-sample t-tests would result in an increased chance of committing a type I error. For this reason, ANOVAs are useful in comparing two, three, or more means. 5.5 5.5.1 Discussion Summary of Findings & Previous Literature The research obtains the summary of findings and previous literature by using graph and scoring method, DASS-21. Statistical test failed to find a significant relation between time and the groups. Obviously, the tendencies of the decreasing level of depression were related to coaching especially in the qualitative part of the study. However, past studies shows that the effect of coaching has not been a great impact to the depression although some studies proves its effectiveness. 5.5.2 Limitations Apparently, there are many factors that can influence the result. If the result has been influenced, the result may not precise. In quasi-experimental/naturalistic studies it is important to recognize that the less control exercised over variables the greater number of variables can account for the results. In this research, the researcher did not have the control on the approach of coaching method. Is the approach also causing depression to the groups? If yes, it will affect the result. Another problem is randomization among the samples supposed to be done in this research. Without randomization, obtaining result in the context of general or public cannot be achieved. Another factor is the small amount of participants. With small amount of sample, the result may not precise. 5.5.3 Implications Although the descriptive statistics showed some support for the hypothesis this reseach the statistical tests did not find any support for the hypothesis. The researcher

states the implication of the findings towards the population. The researcher also suggests some interventions as the solution based on the findings. Finally, the researcher also highlights the importance of the study sand relates it to the present study. 5.6 Future Research For the future research, it is recommended to use much larger sample size in order to obtain more precise results. This also can help the researcher to empower the statistical analyses. Randomization should be used in the research to obtain the result that more emphasize on the general perspective. Further qualitative studies should emphasize on stress and coaching will be essential to exploring human experience of stress and coaching specifically.

Appendix ( Report of Can Coaching Reduce Workplace Stress? A Quasi-Experimental Study)