Statistical Primer for athletic trainers: Understanding the role of statistical power in comparative athletic training research

Monica R. Lininger, Bryan L. Riemann

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To describe the concept of statistical power as related to comparative interventions and how various factors, including sample size, affect statistical power. Background: Having a sufficiently sized sample for a study is necessary for an investigation to demonstrate that an effective treatment is statistically superior. Many researchers fail to conduct and report a priori sample-size estimates, which then makes it difficult to interpret nonsignificant results and causes the clinician to question the planning of the research design. Description: Statistical power is the probability of statistically detecting a treatment effect when one truly exists. The a level, a measure of differences between groups, the variability of the data, and the sample size all affect statistical power. Recommendations: Authors should conduct and provide the results of a priori sample-size estimations in the literature. This will assist clinicians in determining whether the lack of a statistically significant treatment effect is due to an underpowered study or to a treatment’s actually having no effect.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)716-719
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of athletic training
Volume53
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2018

Keywords

  • Beta
  • Reporting statistical findings
  • Statistics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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