Imagine that a group of obese children is recruited for a study in which their

weight is measured, then they participate for 3 months in a program that encourages
them to be more active, and finally their weight is measured again. Explain how each
of the following might affect the results:

1. regression to the mean - individuals have different body compositions so, we

cannot say that all of the participants will have the same changes in weight which
regression of the mean will happen. If there is no similar changes the result will
vary.

2. spontaneous remission - If the participants will have the will to recover from
obesity this will help them to be encourage to actively lessen their weight. This
will help the continuous recovery.

3. History - Changes will differ depending on the events that will happen in
between before and after the study. The motivations given to the participants will
also have different effect depending on how the participants responds to it. The
participants have different mental approach which cannot be controlled by the
researcher.

4. Maturation - During the study the participants will learn the bad effects of
obesity which will play a major role on the changes of the data. Within the 3
months span of the study the participants will be learning more about their
condition.

-An alternative explanation that refers to how the participants might

have changed between the pretest and posttest in ways that they were
going to anyway because they are growing and learning.