Define "Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)

question 18

Essay

Define "randomized controlled trial (RCT)."
Consider this description of an RCT: Espada and colleagues (2016) conducted a test of the efficacy of a smoking cessation program for adolescents in Spain. Prospective participants were recruited using a convenience sample, then randomly assigned to either a program condition or a control condition. The control condition consisted of adolescents placed on a waiting list for the program. Six months after the program, 8% of the program group had quit smoking, whereas no one in the control group had. This difference was statistically significant. After 1 year, 43% of the participants were available for follow-up data collection; this proportion was similar across both program and control conditions.
Making explicit reference to the concepts of internal and external validity, highlight several potential strengths and weakness of this study.

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Definitions:

Life Change Unit

A measure in stress research quantifying the amount of life change a person experiences, often used in assessing stress levels and potential impact on health.

Minor Violation

A Minor Violation is an infringement or transgression of rules or laws considered to be of less severity or harm.

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

A psychological instrument that measures the stress of individuals through the quantification of major life events.

Significant Amount

A quantity or level that is large enough to have a meaningful impact or effect, often determined in a statistical or contextual sense.