A nursing student is reviewing a research study in which researchers used a pretest/posttest design to examine the effect of an AIDS education intervention on teenagers' knowledge about the condition over a school year. What threats to internal validity could be present? (Select all that apply.)
A) Maturation
B) Selection effects
C) Reactivity
D) Hawthorne effect
E) Testing

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Maturation could be a threat because the teenagers might naturally increase their knowledge about AIDS over time, independent of the intervention. Testing could also be a threat because taking the pretest might influence participants' responses on the posttest, either by making them more aware of what they don't know or by practicing the test questions.

A Nursing Student Is Reviewing a Research Study in Which