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A PMHNP is reviewing a recent study evaluating the efficacy of a new mindfulness intervention for reducing anxiety in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The study included 100 participants, with a reported p-value of 0.06 and a confidence interval (CI) for the mean anxiety reduction overlapping zero. The sample size was calculated to detect a medium effect size with 80% power. The PMHNP must interpret these statistical findings to determine their implications for clinical practice. Which of the following best identifies the statistical interpretation and its impact on recommending the intervention? 

A. Statistically significant result; recommend the intervention due to a low p-value
B. Insufficient power; increase the sample size and repeat the study
C. Non-significant result with inconclusive evidence; exercise caution in recommending the intervention
D. High effect size; adopt the intervention based on the confidence interval 

Answer:  C; Non-significant result with inconclusive evidence; exercising caution in recommending the intervention best identifies the statistical interpretation and its impact. In statistical analysis, a p-value of 0.06 indicates the result is not statistically significant at the conventional threshold of 0.05, suggesting that the null hypothesis (no effect of the mindfulness intervention on anxiety reduction) cannot be rejected. The confidence interval (CI) overlapping zero further implies that the true effect size could include no difference or a negligible effect, indicating uncertainty about the intervention’s efficacy. Despite the study being powered at 80% to detect a medium effect size with a sample of 100, the non-significant p-value and overlapping CI suggest the intervention’s benefit is not reliably demonstrated, possibly due to variability or an effect size smaller than anticipated. The PMHNP should exercise caution in recommending the intervention, avoiding its adoption in clinical practice without further evidence (e.g., larger studies or meta-analyses), and consider alternative treatments (e.g., CBT) for GAD patients, aligning with the PMHNP’s role in evidence-based practice and patient safety. 

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