Chapter 3

Research Methods Used to Study Child Behavior Disorders

Science and Common Sense

• Science is an extension of common sense that emphasizes systematic questioning

Research Questions

• Descriptive Research Questions ask about the nature of a phenomenon

• Difference research questions ask if there is a difference between phenomena

• Relationship research questions (correlational questions) asks to what degree phenomena are related

Research Paradigms: Distinctions, Descriptions, and Illustrations

Methodology Distinctions

• Experimental and non-experimental methods are mirror images of one another in some ways– Experimental – investigator manipulates the

treatment given to a participant in an environment that is carefully controlled

– Non-experimental – investigators observe, analyze and describe phenomena as they exist

Quantitative and Qualitative Methods

• Quantitative – conducted in controlled a way that results can be reduced to numerical presentation

• Qualitative – emphasizes reluctance to intervene in naturally occurring phenomena

Quantitative vs Qualitative

• Quantitative – Usually occurs in more controlled environment,

so researcher can be more confident in ascribing results to treatment variable

– Controlled environment more artificial and can make participants differently than in their normal setting

Quantitative and Qualitative

• Qualitative– Usually occurs in more natural and less

controlled environment, which are less likely to influence participant behavior

– Relative absence of control can contribute to unreliable data

Quantitative Methods

• Characterized by manipulation of the treatment or condition under study – Factor manipulated is independent

(experimental) variable– Measure, means by which treatment effect is

determined is dependent variable

Quantitative: continued

• Preference for precise hypothesis state at outset

• Preference for precise definitions state at the outset

• Data reduced to numerical scores• Much attention to assessing and improving

reliability of scores obtained from instruments

Quantitative: continued

• Assessment of validity through variety of design procedures with reliance on statistical indices

• Preference for random techniques for obtaining meaningful samples

• Preference for precise descriptions of procedures

Quantitative: continued

• Preference for specific design control for procedural bias

• Preference for statistical summary of results

• Preference for breaking down of complex phenomena into specific parts for analysis

• Willingness to manipulate aspects, situations, or conditions

Qualitative Methods

• Nonexperimental involves observation, analysis and description of phenomena rather than manipulation of treatment variables

Qualitative: continued

• Observation – data collection strategy that can be used in several research methods– Vary in degree of involvement of researcher

• Participant observation – observer takes part in activities and environment being observed

• Nonparticipant observation – observer is not or is only minimally involved in observed setting

Qualitative: continued

• Case Studies – in-depth examination of the behavior of an individual or small social unit– Provide important depth, complexity and

quantity of information– Information may not be generalizable– Vulnerable to investigator bias

Qualitative: continued

• Preference for hypotheses that emerge as study develops Preference for definitions made in context or as study progresses

• Preference for narrative description• Preference for assuming that reliability of

inferences is adequate• Assessment of validity through cross-checking of

sources of information (triangulation)

Qualitative: continued

• Preference for expert information samples• Preference for narrative/literary descriptions

of procedures• Preference for logical analysis in controlling

or accounting for extraneous variables (describing what else seems to be going on)

• Primary reliance on researcher to detect and minimize procedural bias

Qualitative: continued

• Preference for narrative summary of results

• Preference for holistic description of complex phenomena (describing the whole picture)

• Unwillingness to tamper with naturally occurring phenomena

Quasi-Experimental Designs

• Investigations in which participants cannot be randomly assigned to groups– Participants history cannot be controlled

Studying Development

• Longitudinal design – selects a sample of participants for an extended period of time, repeating assessment intermittently

• Cross-sectional design – simultaneously samples different groups of participants at several age levels and compares dependent variables across the age groups

Longitudinal Designs: limitations

• Participants development may be altered by the repeated assessments – “test-wise”

• Participant attrition – participants move away, refuse to continue or die

• Measures originally used may become dated in very long studies

Cross-sectional Designs: limitations

• Different cohorts or groups are being compared

• Age range can be so great that sociocultural or historical changes have been substantial

Time-Series Designs

• Investigations in which an independent variable is manipulated across two or more phases and the dependent variable is monitored at each phase

• Used to assess the effect of treatment on the behavior of a small number of participants

• Clinicians can treat individuals while systematically colleting information

• Many measurements are collected over time

Time Series Designs: limitations

• Measurements are taken on small number of individuals (or even one) – Results may not be generalizable– Types of participants are frequently atypical

Group Experiments

• More participants are included than in time-series

• Small number of measurements

• Types of group designs– Repeated measures design (pretest and posttest

comparison)– Multifactor designs – include two or more

experimental variables

Meta-Analysis

• Facilitates the analysis and interpretation of multiple results from different studies

• Allows researchers to statistically analyze and synthesize the findings of many previous empirical studies – Uncover consensus– Can present integrated picture of overall results

Fundamentals of Research Design

• Control – eliminating the systematic influence of all variables except the one being studied– All factors must be equivalent for both groups

except the independent variable – Procedures must be equivalent for both groups

Common Design Mistakes

• Internal validity – technical soundness of an investigation in terms of control

• External validity – experiments generalizability, how well can results be applied to other participants, settings and treatments

Common Design Mistakes

• Placebo effects – changes in participants’ behavior or performance that occur simply because they are in an experiment and not because of a particular treatment or intervention

Avoiding Design Pitfalls

• Random Sampling – Researchers use a selection process in which

each individual in the population has an equal chance of being chosen to participate in a study

– It is assumed that since each person has an equal chance of selection, that the characteristics of the participant sample will represent those of the entire population

Avoiding Design Pitfalls

• Experimental Matching– Procedures by which a researcher forces group

equivalence in terms of characteristics thought to be important for the particular study being conducted

Ethical Issues in Conditioning Research

• Ethical issues critical because psychology involves people working with other people and controlling aspects of their lives

Protecting welfare of participants

• Harm can be physical or psychological stress, or social embarrassment

• Cannot completely eliminate stress of any kind for participants– Potential harm weighed against potential

benefits of research

Informed Consent

• Capacity – persons ability and legal authority to consent to participate in a research project – Children may not be old enough to give legal

consent or cannot give consent because of mental disorders

• Information – Investigators must provide complete, and clearly communicated information regarding the study– Participants with behavior disorders may have

difficulty understanding information no matter how well it is communicated

• Voluntariness – Participants must participate of their own free will without coercion– Participants may feel coercion simply because

the researcher may represent a power figure for them