Week 2 project

Article: Doryab, A. et al. (2014). Detection of behavior change in people with depression. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281210062_Detection_of_behavior_change_in_people_with_depression

Primary investigator-Afsaneh Doryab

The title of the study

Detection of behavior change in individuals with depression

The study objectives

The objective of the study is to identify the early onset of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The primary investigator monitored the social behaviors and sleep behaviors of 42 depressant patients and 23 non-depressant patients by utilizing ‘Big Black Dog’, a smart phone system to gather data.

Samples

Data gathering was done by a survey method that included 65 patients. Out of the participants, 42 individuals were patients with depression, while 23 individuals were patients without depression. The investigators installed the ‘Big Black Dog’ application in the phones of those individuals who were diagnosed with depression at their homes. Then, they instructed the participants to feed in data about their behaviors such as socializing, sleeping patterns, medication intake, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

Results of the study

The app demonstrated efficacy in detecting modifications or variations in the individual behavior of the patients that contributed to depression.

The title of the new study

Monitoring of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Application of each Step of the Scientific Method to Perform the New Study

Step 1: To monitor and understand behaviors associated with attention deficit and hyper activeness in children with ADHD. These can be applied in clinical practice to control and manage such behaviors in children with ADHD.

Step 2: analyzing and comprehending regarding the general symptoms and behaviors that are commonly exhibited by children with ADHD. This step is vital in identifying the causes of the disorder and the interventions that need to be provided to control the identified specific symptoms and behaviors.

Step 3: The major symptoms that children with ADHD will exhibit include hyperactivity, lack of attentiveness, disorganization, impulsiveness, restlessness, poor management of activities, and aggression. Recognizing the symptoms exhibited by children with ADHD is essential in the early detection of the disorder. Early detection helps in controlling ADHD symptoms before they become complex to manage.

Step 4: The research is conducted among children with ADHD attending or admitted in an ADHD facility. The number of participants to be recruited in the study is 20 children with ADHD.

Step 5: Data gathering is to be done through direct observation of the children under study. The description of their behaviors will be recorded in detail over a given period. The investigator should not the major differences exhibited by specific children with ADHD. For instance, the investigator should observe the difference in symptoms at the early stages of the disorder and symptoms exhibited when the disorder has advanced.

Step 6: Making the results by summarizing the general behaviors that were observed in the children under study. The behaviors should be summarized based on the child’s age and how often they were observed. The investigator should discuss the results and offer an overall impression of how ADHD affects daily functioning of children and the quality of their lives.

Step 7: At the end of the study, the results obtained from the investigation is shared.

The study conducted is an applied research because it seeks to provide possible interventions for controlling ADHD symptoms in children. It is an applied research in psychotherapy to improve attention deficiency and hyperactive activities in children with ADHD. It seeks to investigate additional treatment and management options for attention deficits and hyperactive behaviors in children with ADHD. The study is also utilized to test existing interventions to validate their level of efficacy in addressing different issues associated with ADHD in children.

Reference

Doryab, A. et al. (2014). Detection of behavior change in people with depression. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281210062_Detection_of_behavior_change_in_people_with_depression.