week 9

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COMPREHENSIVE EXAM: RESEARCH METHOD

Topic- The Digital Dilemma: The Impact of Social Media on the Psychological Well-being,

Social and Religious Behavior of Teenagers

Arnita Norman

Liberty University Online

CLED987: Research Methods for Christian Leadership V (A01) CLED987_A01_202430 Gary Bredfeldt

June 10, 2024

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Description of the Method

McGregor (2019) define methods as a system of strategies used to obtain information for

a study. The study will use mixed method. Several definitions of mixed methods have been

appeared in the research community. Greene (2006) explains the idea of mixed method as “an

approach to investigating the social world that ideally involves more than one methodological

tradition and thus more than one way of knowing” (p. 95). Other more complete and exhaustive

definition is given by Johnson et al., (2007) that state that “mixed methods research is the type of

research in which a researcher or team of researchers combines elements of qualitative and

quantitative research approaches (e. g., use of qualitative and quantitative viewpoints, data

collection, analysis, inference techniques) for the broad purposes of breadth and depth of

understanding and corroboration” (p. 123). For the purpose of this study, the researcher will

adopt Clark and Creswell (2011) definition of mixed methods research that state “mixed methods

research is a research design (or methodology) in which the researcher collects, analyzes, and

mixes (integrates or connects) both quantitative and qualitative data in a single study or a

multiphase program of inquiry” (p. 134).

Based on those diverse definitions, it is evident that mixed methods allows researchers to

capture both the breadth (quantitative) and depth (qualitative) of the phenomenon being

investigated. Almeida (2018) claims that the constraints of quantitative and qualitative

procedures can be addressed through the use of mixed methods, giving the researcher access to

rich information that would not be accessible with either approach alone. A mixed methods

technique is ideally suited for investigating the intricate and multidimensional effects of social

media on the mental health and social and religious behavior of teenagers in the context of this

study.

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Purpose and Use of the Method in Research

According to Schoonenboom and Johnson (2017), the general objective of mixed

methods research, which combines qualitative and quantitative research components, is to

improve and broaden a study's results in order to address research issues and add to the body of

published literature. Mixed methods research ultimately aims to increase validity and knowledge.

According to Johnson and Christensen (2019), legitimation is the process by which a mixed

methods research study satisfies the pertinent set or combination of mixed methods, quantitative,

and qualitative validities in each research study. A researcher may nevertheless wish to reinforce

the research study and its conclusions for a variety of reasons, all of which are related to the

objective of providing a valid response to the research question or questions (Schoonenboom and

Johnson, 2017).

In this research, the purpose of employing a mixed-methods approach is to thoroughly

explore the complex impact of social media on teenagers' psychological well-being, social

interactions, and religious behaviors. As mentioned by McGregor (2019), all actions taken

toward data collection and analysis have to be described and documented in detail to meet the

requirements of rigor, transparency, and credibility. Firstly, it will incorporate a mixed methods

design as used in this study but with additional components that will provide greater information

on the research questions. First, it will be useful to identify the main factors that should be taken

into consideration while studying the role of social media in teenagers’ lives: The quantitative

data will give more or less a general pattern of the increased use of social media, and their

relationship to these facets of wellness. While the quantitative data will provide the over picture

of the prevailing trends, the qualitative data will primarily provide more contextualized and

personal notion of why the trends exist among the teenagers.

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Secondly, given that the study employs a mixed method design this will aid in the process

of triangulation. McGregor (2019) also defined data triangulation in their study as the utilization

of data from each strand (quantitative and qualitative) to corroborate each other or to just simply

verify. By triangulating the findings from both quantitative and qualitative strands, the researcher

will increase the study’s credibility and trustworthiness. To ensure the two sources of data

converge, the patterns and themes emerging from the qualitative data will be compared to the

quantitative findings, thereby either supporting or explaining the results from the quantitative

data set, conversely, the quantitative data will offer peri-pheral backgrounds to the qualitative

findings. This combined design enhances the overall message and minimizes the biasing factors

that are characteristic of each sociological method (Schoonenboom & Johnson, 2017, p. 98).

When working with quantitative data, the researcher needs to get the required data so that the

same process and results can be; the whole process is called replicability and reliability

(McGregor, 2019). However, whilst collecting and analysing quantitative data is relatively easy,

the dependability of the qualitative data leaves the researcher in a precarious position; the reader

has to be informed with sufficient information to judge dependability of the methods and

conclusions in the context of their practice (Haq et al., 2023).

Data Collection Processes Required in Using Mixed Method

A mixed methods design for this study on the influence of social networks on teenagers

psychological status and their ability to comprehend boundaries, socialize and their religious

practices will involve a different data collection approach for the quantitative and qualitative

portions of the research. A great emphasis will be placed on the quantitative data, while

qualitative data will mainly help in substantiating the findings.

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For quantitative component, the study will employ the use of surveys from a purposive

sample with teenagers in the U.S. According to Campbell et al. (2020), a purposive sample is a

type of non-probability sampling in which the researcher selects individuals who are particularly

knowledgeable about or have experience with the topic of interest. The survey will be designed

with clear, concise and closed-ended questions to measure social media usage patterns

(frequency, platforms used such as Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, as

well as types of engagement). It will also be designed to measure mental health in terms of

validated scales for anxiety, depression, self-esteem, teenagers’ social behavior (participation in

activities, relationships with peers) and religious behavior with such thing like the frequency of

practices, importance of religion). The researcher will conduct a pilot test on the survey on a

small group of teenagers to ensure clarity and comprehensiveness. The surveys will be

administered online, where the participants will be given a link to google forms where they can

easily fill out their answer anonymously.

For qualitative component, the researcher will rely on focus groups with church youth.

To gather in-depth, contextual data that provides deeper insights into the personal experiences

and perceptions of teenagers regarding social media use, particularly in a religious context. The

researcher will develop semi-structured guides with open-ended questions tailored to explore

teenagers' experiences, thoughts, and feelings about social media and its impact on their lives,

focusing on church youth groups. For sampling, the researcher will select participants from

church youth groups who are willing to discuss their social media experiences. To reach data

saturation, the researcher will ensure at least 5 focus groups with at least 5-6 participants each.

Guest, Namey and McKenna (2017) define saturation point, as the number of participants needed

to capture the full range of experiences and perspectives relevant to the research question. The

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researcher will record focus group sessions with participants' consent and later transcribe the

discussions verbatim for detailed analysis.

Through triangulation, the researcher will make sure that the quantitative and qualitative

data are successfully integrated to create a comprehensive picture of the research problem.

Turner, Cardinal, and Burton (2017) state that data triangulation is a common research strategy

used in mixed methods research to improve the validity and credibility of findings from several

data collection methods to study the same phenomenon from diverse angles. The study will be

conducted in two stages using an explanatory sequential design. Sequential integration, as

defined by Draucker et al. (2020), is a particular kind of mixed methods design in which data

collection and analysis take place in a sequential order; that is, data (either quantitative or

qualitative) is collected and analyzed in one strand first, and then the second strand is collected

and analyzed. Phase 1 will include collecting and analyzing quantitative survey data to identify

general trends and patterns. Phase 2 will include the use of focus group discussions to explore

and explain the quantitative findings in depth, providing context and personal insights.

Data Analysis Processes Required in using Mixed Method

When using a mixed method design in research, the typical data analysis processes

required in using the method include systematically analyzing both quantitative and qualitative

data, followed by integrating these findings to provide a comprehensive understanding of the

research problem. In this research, descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the quantitative

survey data using Excel software, and the results will be reported using frequencies, percentages,

and means (averages). Marshall and Jonker (2010) defines descriptive statistics as the methods

used to summarize, describe, and present the key characteristics of a dataset in an aim to

organize, illustrate, and interpret the data in a way that reveals its central tendencies (averages),

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spread (variability), and distribution. In this study, the researcher will create tables using Excel's

to present descriptive statistics like frequencies and means. In addition, charts like bar charts or

histograms will be created to visualize the distribution of the quantitative data.

The qualitative data from focus groups will be analyzed using thematic analysis. The

researcher will start by transcribing the audio recordings from focus groups verbatim to create

textual data for analysis. This will be followed by open manual coding to identify significant

segments of data, then axial coding to refine codes by grouping them into categories and

identifying relationships between them. The next phase will be identification of recurring themes

and patterns in the data. The research will rely on qualitative data analysis software (NVivo) to

organize, code, and analyze the data. According to Wong (2008), NVivo is a computer software

program specifically designed for qualitative data analysis (QDA), particularly used by

researchers working with various forms of unstructured data, such as interviews, focus groups,

surveys (open ended questions), social media content, and journal articles. The researcher will

finally triangulate the data by comparing and contrasting findings from both types of data to

validate results and provide a more comprehensive perspective. In addition, the researcher will

use qualitative data to explain and contextualize quantitative findings.

Examples of the Mixed Method in Other Studies

There are several existing studies that have used the mixed method approach to address a

problem area. For example, Arness and Ollis (2023) employed mixed-methods to examine

problematic social media use, attention deficiency, and motives to use social media among social

media users. In the qualitative section of the study, open-ended interviews were conducted that

allowed for continuous exploration of that participant’s personal experience of self-governing

social media usage. The structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis that

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was used in the quantitative part of the study was used to establish how impulsive social media

use mediates the relationship between perceived executive and attentional functioning. A

comparatively less explored but the most popular and reliable tool for measuring PSMU was

administrated by the researcher in the form of Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS).

In another study done by Willey (2021) in her Honors thesis, the researcher used both

methods in search of a correlation between SMC disorders and ostracism and in pattern

recognition of novel themes that deserve further examination. In terms of quantitative data, the

researcher employed the Ostracism Experience Scale for Adolescents (OES-A) and the Social

Media Usage Disorder Scale (SMDS) in the form of a survey covering before and during the

epidemic period. The aim of the study was therefore to determine if there is passing relationship,

correlation or association between undergraduate students disordered social media usage, and

experienced ostracism, and if there was any change in undergraduate students’ disordered social

media usage before or during the epidemic. Ten survey participants were intentionally selected

by the researcher to give her and the research qualitative data using inductive sociometrist

interviews.

Implementing the Mixed Method

Since the research question posed in this study sought to assess the various ways in which

social media influences the psychological well-being interpersonal relationships, and religiosity

of teenagers, the researcher chose the mixed-method approach to gather enough evidence in each

research question. Using quantitative as well as qualitative research techniques, the researcher

will be in a position to conduct surveys that will help to establish large patterns of the given issue

while undertaking focus group discussions to establish deeper details of the issue at hand. This

dual approach is therefore important because it will enable the researcher to employ cross-

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verification method in the study to reduce the possibility of subjective findings while at the same

time providing a rich understanding of the phenomenon being studied. The priority given to

quantitative data ensures a solid foundation of statistical evidence, while the qualitative data

provides rich, contextual explanations for the observed patterns. The ultimate goal is to address

the complexity of the research question more effectively, leading to a more comprehensive

understanding of the digital dilemma faced by teenagers today in the digital space especially with

the use of social media.

According to McGregor (2019), because mixed methods research relies on the integration

of data from both qualitative and quantitative strands, authors using mixed methods must report

on both design and interpretation rigor. Teddlie and Tashakkori (2006) emphasize the

importance of interpretive rigor in mixed methods research, meaning ensuring the conclusions

are well-supported and trustworthy. Teddlie and Tashakkori (2006) propose three key standards

for achieving interpretive rigor which include ensuring interpretative consistency, theoretical

consistency and integrative efficacy. This implies that the inferences, or explanations of the

findings, should logically flow from the data itself, not be based on assumptions or hunches. The

interpretations should align with established theories or research in the field, providing a solid

foundation for understanding your results. Most importantly, when combining insights from both

quantitative and qualitative data (meta-inferences), neither method should be favored. The final

conclusions should seamlessly integrate both perspectives to paint a holistic picture. The

researcher will ensure all the three standards are met to ensure that the mixed-method study is

both methodologically sound and interpretatively vigorous.

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References

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Arness, D. C., & Ollis, T. (2023). A mixed-methods study of problematic social media use,

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Campbell, S., Greenwood, M., Prior, S., Shearer, T., Walkem, K., Young, S., ... & Walker, K.

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