Page 187 - Quantitative Data Analysis

Quantitative Data Analysis
Simply Explained Using SPSS

Multiple Regression – Case Study

Task: A study was carried out to explore the relationship between
Aggression and several potential predicting factors in 666 children
that had an older sibling. Variables measured were Parenting_style
(high score = bad parenting practices), Computer_games (high score
= more time spent playing computer games), Television (high
score=more time spent watching television), Diet (high score = the
child has a good diet low in E-numbers), and Sibling_aggression
(high score = more aggression seen in their older sibling). Past
research indicated that parenting style and sibling aggression were
good predictors of the level of aggression in the younger child. All
other variables were treated in an exploratory fashion. Analyse
them with multiple regression.

Selection of Predictor Variables for Analysis:
As past research indicated that the parenting style and sibling
aggression were good predictors of the level of aggression in the
younger child, inclusion of these two variables in regression analysis
was already decided. I conducted multiple regression analysis
hierarchically entering parenting_style and sibling_aggression in the
first block (forced entry) and the remaining three variables
(Computer_games, Television and Diet) in the second block
(stepwise).

The final regression model identified four variables which
contribute to the model significantly accounting an overall 8.2%
variance in the aggression of younger child. R² = .082, F(4, 661) =
14.74, p < .001. Individual contribution of each variable to predict
aggression is described in the following:

The Theory and Applications of Statistical Inferences 171