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Dr. Z is interested in discovering if there is a difference in depression scores between those who do not watch or read the news and those who continue with therapy as normal. She divides her clients with depression into 2 groups. She asks Group 1 not to watch or read any news for two weeks while in therapy and asks Group 2 to continue with therapy as normal.

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Explanation:

This is an example of an experimental design used in psychology research to investigate the relationship between two variables (news exposure and depression scores) by manipulating one variable (news exposure) and measuring the other variable (depression scores).

The design involves two groups: Group 1 (the experimental group) and Group 2 (the control group). Group 1 is asked to refrain from watching or reading any news for two weeks while continuing with therapy as normal, while Group 2 is asked to continue with therapy as normal without any restrictions on news exposure. After two weeks, both groups' depression scores are measured, and the scores are compared to see if there is a difference in depression scores between the two groups.

By manipulating news exposure and comparing the resulting depression scores, Dr. Z can investigate whether news exposure has an effect on depression. If Group 1 (the group that refrained from news exposure) has lower depression scores than Group 2 (the control group), this may suggest that news exposure is associated with higher levels of depression.

However, it's important to note that this design has limitations and may not necessarily establish a causal relationship between news exposure and depression. There may be other variables that could explain any observed differences in depression scores between the two groups, such as differences in baseline depression levels or differences in the type of therapy received. Additionally, the results of this study may not be generalizable to other populations, as the study only involves Dr. Z's clients with depression.

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