Respond to two colleagues by providing constructive feedback on their choice of methodological approach. Would a different approach be more appropriate or effective in answering the research question? Why or why not?
Please use the Learning Resources to support your position (i.e., cite and reference).
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Qualitative and quantitative research approaches have many differences, but also some similarities. A study can be strictly quantitative or qualitative, or it can use a combination of both approaches. Qualitative approaches are often used when little is known about a subject and the researcher hopes to identify themes and variables that are relevant to the problem. After conducting qualitative research to gain a better understanding of the problem, a quantitative research study can be used to measure the variables identified in prior research. Using the results of qualitative research studies, one can begin to form a hypothesis that will be tested using quantitative methods.
Qualitative research methods tend to be less structured and allow for flexibility as the study progresses. Contrast this with quantitative research that requires pre-defined variables that are measured using structured, pre-determined methodologies. Qualitative research allows for the researcher to become a participant in the study to varying degrees, depending on how embedded he is in the culture during the study. Additionally, qualitative studies are frequently conducted in the environment in which the phenomenon naturally occurs. Quantitative studies are more emotionally removed from the participants, and typically do not engage in as much one-on-one contact with study participants. When they do interact, the interview process is typically rigidly structured with a preconceived list of questions the interviewer poses to study participants.
If I was going to conduct a study on my research question (What effect does the level of ADHD education in school personnel have on the number of referrals they make for children so they can obtain a diagnosis?) I would use an ethnographic approach (Yegidis et. al, 2018). I think this approach would be the most appropriate because it incorporates elements of both qualitative and quantitative research. The qualitative approach would help a researcher understand the pre-existing attitudes of school personnel about ADHD (whether they believe it is real, or even truly understand what it is), while a quantitative approach would allow for the measurement of education level (independent or predictor variable) and the number of referrals made (dependent or outcome variable).
In conducting qualitative research, it is necessary to approach the potential research subjects in a culturally competent manner. Establishing trust is key because the participants often doubt the intentions of the researcher. Social workers with their interviewing skills, open minded perspectives, and culturally competent approaches are particularly well suited to this task (Yegidis et. al, 2018).
Casido et. al (2012) discuss some of the difficulties of including language minority individuals in research studies. A person’s lack of ability to speak English often precludes them from participation in a study due to communication barriers and social isolation. A good way to overcome this problem would be by using a translator to ask the questions and recording the subject’s verbatim response. The response could them be translated by more than one translator and the translation results could be reviewed and compared by a group of translators to ensure the results are re-stated in English in the most accurate way possible. This prevents one translator’s cultural bias or lack of understanding of cultural context from skewing or misrepresenting the data.
Another way to ensure culturally competent research procedures is by locating a key informant who might be a community leader or other person who is highly knowledgeable about the given culture (Yegidis et. al, 2018). Establishing contact and rapport with a key informant can help the researcher learn about the best way to approach participants and avoid any actions or questions the participants might consider offensive based on their culture.
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Qualitative research tends to contain a “group of methods that often contain certain key characteristics, such as studying research participants in their natural settings interpreting events through the meaning ascribed to them and interpreting the data with an open-minded viewpoint. (Yegidis et. al, 2018).
There are many ways quantitative and qualitative research differ. One of the ways is that quantitative research focuses on presenting solid data. It Is objective, something that be proven, tangible, more of a fact base. Qualitative is more of unstructured research. It can be more of a subjective form of research, where the data can be sometimes influenced by experiences of the researcher and potentially the emotions from the participants in the data. Some other big differences are that qualitative research forms a hypothesis and then utilizes the analysis of data to understand the concern or problem. Instead of being the start all, quantitative tests hypothesis. It analyzes data after it is collected but analyzes it after the hypothesis is created and then proceeds to explain the information. Something interesting that is different between the two is that qualitative researchers is that the researcher can act as a full participant in the research. (Yegidis et. al, 2018).
My research question is more of a hypothesis:
There are significant mental health barriers that affect victims/survivors of domestic abuse.
Because I formulated more of a hypothesis, and because I am trying to prove that there are a lot of mental health concerns even after the domestic abuse and that it can cause long-term effects on the physical and mental health of the victim/survivor, I would say that the best approach would be to follow more of a quantitative approach. As the researcher, I want to explain and prove something, as well as utilize data to prove why my hypothesis is accurate.
To ensure that my approach is culturally sensitive, first I would need to remember that this group of individuals at one point and maybe still currently lost their “voice.” That the topic at hand can bring back several emotions and traumatic experiences that they had to endure. So, some ways I would try to be culturally sensitive Is t practice the skill of empowerment to the study group, and disclosure. It is very important that the participants are aware of confidentiality as often a person who is in, or survived domestic abuse wants to remain discreet and not in contact with their abuser. Casido et. al (2012)
