Understanding the Importance of Mean and Standard Deviation

Hard Unit 1: Scientific Foundations Statistical Analysis

In a recent psychological study examining the effectiveness of a new cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program, researchers collected data on participant anxiety levels before and after treatment.

The researchers reported the results using both means and standard deviations to provide a clearer understanding of the therapy's impact. Which of the following statements accurately describes an implication of the reported statistics for further analysis?

The mean scores before treatment are always higher than mean scores after treatment.

A high standard deviation indicates that the scores are closely clustered around the mean.

Statistical significance of the results indicates that the therapy is effective for all participants.

Mean scores alone do not provide sufficient information to evaluate variability in participant responses.

Standard deviation can only be calculated for normally distributed data.

Hint

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