Question

A needs assessment is done to determine how many people in the community are in need of outpatient mental health care after 5 PM. What are the independent and dependent variables?

Answer 1

An independent variable is a variable whose value can be changed or controlled during an experiment to test the effects of change on the dependent variable. It is controlled by the experimenter and is generally the input that is used to change the dependent variable. It is independent hence, the name.

Here Time (after 5 pm) is the independent variable.

A Dependent variable is a variable whose value gets changed or affected during an experiment due to the change in the independent variable. It is not controlled by the experimenter, but is directly affected by the independent variable. It is the output of the independent variable and is directly proportional or dependent on Independent variable, hence the name.

Here Number of people is the dependent variable.