Unit 3 · Compare groups
How to run a paired-samples t-test in SPSS
Run a paired-samples t-test in SPSS for before-and-after data and report it correctly in APA style.
Pro lessonAbout 5 minutes6 practice questions
Paired-samples t-test
Use it when the same people are measured twice, such as anxiety before and after a course of therapy.
Paired-Samples T Test
Options…Bootstrap…
✓Estimate effect sizes4
3Use the ↕ button to swap the order within a pair
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- 1
Pick the pairClick the first measurement, then the second, and move them across together with the arrow.
- 2
Paired VariablesEach row is one pair. SPSS calculates Variable1 minus Variable2 for every person, then tests whether the average difference is zero.
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Order mattersPre − post gives a positive difference when scores go down. Swap them and the sign flips, but the p-value stays the same.
- 4
Estimate effect sizesAdds Cohen's d.
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