Research Methods for Massage and Holistic Therapies

By

Glenn Hymel, EdD, LMT

Description

This comprehensive resource covers a broad array of research strategies available to massage therapists to give them the tools they need to be knowledgeable readers of research literature, as well as active researchers. The primary focus of the book is on the quantitative aspect of research that encompasses the principal types of studies most extensively used in the various health care professions, specifically massage therapy. Extensive coverage is also given to the qualitative and integrative research categories that are progressively gaining recognition among researchers in various health science disciplines and professions.

Contents

• Part I – A Conceptual Framework for Understanding the Research Process 1. Why Research and Why Now? 2. Deductive Approach To Viewing the Research Process 3. An Overview of the True Experimental/Randomized Controlled Trial Research Method 4. A More Focused View of the True Experimental/Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) Research Method: Concepts, Principles, & Procedures
• Part II – The Quantitative Research Category 5. The Difference-Oriented Research Strategy 6. The Association-Oriented Research Strategy 7. The Descriptive-Oriented Research Strategy
• Part III – Qualitative & Integrative Research Categories: Options Beyond the Quantitative 8. The Qualitative Research Category & Its Contextual/Interpretive Research Strategy 9. The Integrative Research Category & Its Synthesis-Oriented Research Strategy
• Part IV – Advancing the Massage Therapy Research Agenda 10. Advancing Massage Therapy Research Competencies: Recent Contexts & Projected Directions Appendices: Essential ?Tools? for the Research Process A. Electronic Literature Searching: Sources & Strategies B. Ethical Principles Governing Research in the Biomedical & Behavioral Sciences C. Research Report Format & Stylistic Requirements D. Measurement & Statistics as Research Tools Glossary Index