Developing a Research Developing a Research Question…Question…

An Overview of A Family-Focused An Overview of A Family-Focused Research ProgramResearch Program

Presentation for LEAH FellowsPresentation for LEAH Fellows

Friday, October 9 2009Friday, October 9 2009

Kathleen (Katy) M. RocheKathleen (Katy) M. Roche

Part I:Part I: Developing a Research Developing a Research Question…Question…

Identifying an effective research Identifying an effective research questionquestion How a research question evolvesHow a research question evolves Articulating a research questionArticulating a research question

Part II:Part II: Overview of a Family- Overview of a Family-Focused Research Program…Focused Research Program…

Progression of a family-focused adolescent Progression of a family-focused adolescent health research program over the past decadehealth research program over the past decade

- Overarching themeOverarching theme: Drawing from a : Drawing from a development-in-context development-in-context perspective, identifying perspective, identifying modifiable factors which influence adolescent modifiable factors which influence adolescent health and well-being, particularly for youth living health and well-being, particularly for youth living in low-income, urban neighborhoodsin low-income, urban neighborhoods

Part I. A.Part I. A. Identifying an Identifying an Effective Research Effective Research

Question…Question… Importance Importance Does the answer to your question have the Does the answer to your question have the potential to potential to IMPROVEIMPROVE important health issues important health issues facing adolescents (e.g. informing program/policy facing adolescents (e.g. informing program/policy development)development)

InnovativeInnovativeHow much is already known?How much is already known?What is scientific rigor of prior research?What is scientific rigor of prior research?Are previous findings culturally or contextually Are previous findings culturally or contextually appropriate?appropriate?

Part I. A.Part I. A. Identifying an Identifying an Effective Research Effective Research

Question…Question… TheoryTheoryAlthough discipline specific, there should be a Although discipline specific, there should be a compelling reason for your research questioncompelling reason for your research question that reaches beyond importance and innovativenesseyond importance and innovativeness

SpecificitySpecificityToo much breadth / lack of focus is a set-up for Too much breadth / lack of focus is a set-up for failure…nothing is done well and it is usually not failure…nothing is done well and it is usually not feasiblefeasible

Part I. A.Part I. A. Identifying an Identifying an Effective Research Effective Research

Question…Question…** Arguing “it hasn’t been done before” or ** Arguing “it hasn’t been done before” or

“research methods are weak” is far “research methods are weak” is far more compelling when there is an more compelling when there is an argument for the empirical/theoretical argument for the empirical/theoretical importance of your questionimportance of your question

Part I. B.Part I. B. How a Research How a Research Question Evolves…Question Evolves…

Identify topic based on practice, policy, and/or Identify topic based on practice, policy, and/or research experienceresearch experience

Carefully read empirical and theoretical work Carefully read empirical and theoretical work from from multiplemultiple disciplines disciplines

Should not solely rely on review of research on Should not solely rely on review of research on your outcomeyour outcome

Iterative processIterative process: Conducting your own research, : Conducting your own research, keeping up with the literature, attending national keeping up with the literature, attending national meetings, feedback from colleaguesmeetings, feedback from colleagues

Part I. C.Part I. C. Articulating a Articulating a Research Question Research Question

Issues to consider in articulating a research Issues to consider in articulating a research question:question:

1)1) Do you have a primary hypothesis? Based Do you have a primary hypothesis? Based on what? What is your theory?on what? What is your theory?

2)2) If you are interested in a particular If you are interested in a particular population, why and is what you are population, why and is what you are examining particularly relevant?examining particularly relevant?

3)3) Decide what you will Decide what you will NOTNOT do do

Part II. Part II. Overview of a Family-Overview of a Family-Focused Research Program…Focused Research Program…

Underlying motivation for a Underlying motivation for a research programresearch program

Taking advantage of opportunities Taking advantage of opportunities early onearly on

Part II. Part II. Overview of a Family-Overview of a Family-Focused Research Program…Focused Research Program…

How do the How do the influences that parents haveinfluences that parents have on their on their adolescentsadolescents vary depending upon the extent or risk and vary depending upon the extent or risk and the degree of support that families experience in their the degree of support that families experience in their neighborhood environmentneighborhood environment? ?

1)1) Secondary analyses of national data Secondary analyses of national data 2)2) Ethnic- and context-specific studies Ethnic- and context-specific studies 3)3) ““Parenting” to punitive discipline and autonomy grantingParenting” to punitive discipline and autonomy granting4)4) ““Neighborhood” to neighborhood disorder to cultureNeighborhood” to neighborhood disorder to culture

Part II. Part II. Progression of research Progression of research program…program…

A) What sort of A) What sort of parentingparenting guidance might guidance might pediatricians who work with pediatricians who work with racial and ethnic racial and ethnic minority familiesminority families provide? What does the provide? What does the literature tell us? literature tell us?

B) How do the B) How do the influences that parents haveinfluences that parents have on on their their adolescentsadolescents vary depending upon the vary depending upon the extent or risk and the degree of support in extent or risk and the degree of support in the the neighborhood neighborhood contextcontext? ?

C) What is the C) What is the impact of parentingimpact of parenting vis-à-vis a vis-à-vis a cultural cultural contextcontext on on adolescentadolescent well-being? well-being?

Part II. Part II. Features of research Features of research program…program…

Multiple disciplinesMultiple disciplines

Developmental psychology…adolescenceDevelopmental psychology…adolescence

Family sciences…parentingFamily sciences…parenting

Urban sociology…neighborhoodUrban sociology…neighborhood

Public Health…importance, disparities, Public Health…importance, disparities, application of knowledgeapplication of knowledge

Use of Mixed-methodsUse of Mixed-methods TheoryTheory