Post 4 – Bias

Q: What are my current biases with my research topic? Why is it important to be aware of my biases when writing a literature review?  Do I think my biases could affect the conclusions that I arrive at in my literature review? Moving forward, what do I need to do to address these biases that I’m aware of in my paper?

My biases are the following: I believe that the answer to my research question is yes, the provision of on-site social services will improve quality of life, social engagement, and autonomy of older adults living in assisted living facilities (ALFs). Early in the process I needed to be aware of this to make sure I wasn’t choosing articles that seemed to support this conclusion.

In my review, I focused on several overall quality of life indicators in assisted living and on situations that cause stress and hardship, such as transitioning to an ALF. I also looked at the different roles social workers could potentially play in an ALF settings. Finally, I read articles about moderating and mediating factors such as social relationships, family dynamics, health, and staffing.

I am being careful to make sure any biases I have do not influence my literature review conclusions. I’ve had to make sense of what the literature is telling me about my research question. There are many interrelated factors:

• Independence and autonomy are impacted by resident health status, house rules and staffing attitudes and skill level.
• Social engagement  supports a healthy aging process and resident satisfaction.
• Social engagement is influenced by the types of activities offered, resident health, and mobility levels.  

I’ve realized there is not going to be a straight path to finding an answer to my research question.

Moving forward I need to focus on my methods. I think it is fair to conclude through observation that many residents of ALFs could use some assistance that would improve general quality of life. However, I need to make sure my methods and in particular my survey instrument allows for other conclusions on how best to support this population.

So, my goal is to avoid: