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Nursing QUESTION #9216
Question 1
A Charge Nurse conducts a study and finds that a third variable (patient age) influences both the independent variable (activity level) and the dependent variable (recovery time). This variable is called:
  • Mediator variable
  • Moderator variable
  • Confounding variable✔️
  • Extraneous variable that has been controlled
Correct Answer Explanation
Correct Answer: C — Confounding variable

Types of variables in research:
Variable TypeDefinition
Independent (IV)The cause or intervention; manipulated by researcher
Dependent (DV)The outcome; what is measured
ConfoundingCorrelates with both IV and DV, distorting the true relationship (age in this case)
MediatorExplains the mechanism through which IV affects DV
ModeratorChanges the strength or direction of the IV-DV relationship
ExtraneousAny variable other than IV that may affect DV; a confounder if uncontrolled
Controlling confounders is essential for establishing causal relationships in nursing research.