The statistical significance process and its impact on the teaching of statistics

Abstract

The use of statistical hypothesis testing innursing research—and, more broadly, in the field ofhealth—is a practice that has, for over one hundredyears, strengthened the reliability of evidence aswell as the methodological rigor and critical thinkingof researchers. Goal: To associate mastery of thestatistical significance process with the teachingof statistics. Methodology: Quasi-experimental,prospective, and analytical cross-study. Thestatistical significance process was applied, involvingthree training exercises and two questionnaires. Thesample consisted of 36 subjects selected according tothe researcher’s criteria. Results: 13.9% of subjectsfaced problems in expressing a hypothesis. 80.5%understood the notion of statistical significance.8.3% of subjects faced difficulties in selecting thestatistical hypothesis test. 77.7% claimed to readthe p value correctly, and 8.3% claimed to have hadtrouble making statistical decisions. Mean scoreson the exercises were 7.2 ± 2.2; 7.9 ± 2.0; and 7.3± 3.0. Mean scores on the questionnaires were 5.7± 2.0 and 7.5 ± 2.5 (p = 0.001). It was not proventhat there exists an association between masteryof the statistical significance process and academicsuccess (p = 0.087). Conclusion: Mastering theprocess and learning statistics occur independently.Statistical learning is observed when students workin teams—rather than individually—on complexexercises.