Developing a Research Question… An Overview of A Family-Focused Research Program Presentation for LEAH Fellows Friday, October Kathleen (Katy) M. Roche

Part I: Developing a Research Question… Identifying an effective research question  Identifying an effective research question  How a research question evolves  Articulating a research question

Part II: Overview of a Family- Focused Research Program… Progression of a family-focused adolescent health research program over the past decade  Progression of a family-focused adolescent health research program over the past decade Overarching theme: Drawing from a development-in-context perspective, identifying modifiable factors which influence adolescent health and well-being, particularly for youth living in low-income, urban neighborhoods - Overarching theme: Drawing from a development-in-context perspective, identifying modifiable factors which influence adolescent health and well-being, particularly for youth living in low-income, urban neighborhoods

Part I. A. Identifying an Effective Research Question… Importance  Importance Does the answer to your question have the potential to IMPROVE important health issues facing adolescents (e.g. informing program/policy development)  Innovative How much is already known? What is scientific rigor of prior research? Are previous findings culturally or contextually appropriate?

Part I. A. Identifying an Effective Research Question… Theory  Theory Although discipline specific, there should be a compelling reason for your research question eyond importance and innovativeness Although discipline specific, there should be a compelling reason for your research question that reaches beyond importance and innovativeness  Specificity Too much breadth / lack of focus is a set-up for failure…nothing is done well and it is usually not feasible

Part I. A. Identifying an Effective Research Question… ** Arguing “it hasn’t been done before” or “research methods are weak” is far more compelling when there is an argument for the empirical/theoretical importance of your question

Part I. B. How a Research Question Evolves…  Identify topic based on practice, policy, and/or research experience  Carefully read empirical and theoretical work from multiple disciplines  Should not solely rely on review of research on your outcome  Iterative process: Conducting your own research, keeping up with the literature, attending national meetings, feedback from colleagues

Part I. C. Articulating a Research Question Issues to consider in articulating a research question: 1)Do you have a primary hypothesis? Based on what? What is your theory? 2)If you are interested in a particular population, why and is what you are examining particularly relevant? 3)Decide what you will NOT do

Part II. Overview of a Family- Focused Research Program…  Underlying motivation for a research program  Taking advantage of opportunities early on

Part II. Overview of a Family- Focused Research Program… How do the influences that parents have on their adolescents vary depending upon the extent or risk and the degree of support that families experience in their neighborhood environment? 1)Secondary analyses of national data 2)Ethnic- and context-specific studies 3)“Parenting” to punitive discipline and autonomy granting 4)“Neighborhood” to neighborhood disorder to culture

Part II. Progression of research program… A) What sort of parenting guidance might pediatricians who work with racial and ethnic minority families provide? What does the literature tell us? B) How do the influences that parents have on their adolescents vary depending upon the extent or risk and the degree of support in the neighborhood context? C) What is the impact of parenting vis-à-vis a cultural context on adolescent well-being?

Part II. Features of research program…  Multiple disciplines Developmental psychology…adolescence Family sciences…parenting Urban sociology…neighborhood Public Health…importance, disparities, application of knowledge  Use of Mixed-methods  Theory