6301wk 6 discussion

RESPONSE 1

Kevin Menard

YesterdayApr 3 at 1:40pm

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A hypothesis is a prediction that almost always and/or always includes a predictable relationship between two or more variables (Yegidis, 2018). The null hypothesis and the alternative hypothesis are the two kinds of hypotheses used in a hypothesis test. The alternative hypothesis balances the null hypothesis. In research, the goal of a hypothesis is to enable the researcher to evaluate and explain the hypothesis based on theory. When the theory is put to the test, the premise will be supported by the use of actual data. Previous studies may have generated some ideas. This does not imply that it will be confirmed in the research. When evidence fails to support a hypothesis's stated prediction, researchers are prompted to go back and critically examine previous research in order to explore alternative paths that will provide an explanation for the results (Yegidis, 2018). When a researcher is unable to generate a hypothesis, it means they have failed to identify any existing proof or theory. A hypothesis is used in study to describe a phenomenon or forecast a relationship.

The hypothesis for my research question is: Trauma informed care interventions and treatments benefit human trafficking victims. Independent variables are age, gender, and ethnicity. Human trafficking victims’ ages range from very young to over 21 years. Females more than males are human trafficking victims but that does not rule out a male being a victim. Finally, ethnicity is the other independent variable because human trafficking victims are different races. The dependent variables are the victims’ past history along with trauma history, culture, and how well the victim does with the trauma informed care treatment and interventions. Past history and culture shape who people presently are. Participation in treatment and how well victims do can certainly be a dependent variable.

Reference

Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018).  Research methods for social workers (8th ed.). Pearson.

RESPONSE 2

Collapse Subdiscussion Kimberley Phillips

Kimberley Phillips ( She/Her)

YesterdayApr 3 at 6:32pm

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The function of a hypothesis in research is to state the expected findings of research.  It is a brief and provable statement that will be proven (or not) with review of existing data or conduction of research (Cunnington, 2022).  Usually, quantitative research involves having a hypothesis formulated before research is performed, while qualitative research results in a hypothesis after the fact.  In this way, qualitative research may inform the researcher who wants to do more in-depth quantitative work (Yegidis et al., 2018).  The hypothesis is the observation that the researcher intends to support with data (Frieman, 2023). 

My hypothesis is that trauma experienced by adolescents contributes to underage drinking and continued drinking into adulthood.  The question is: in what way does trauma exposure contribute to the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in adolescents aged 14-18 years?

A dependent variable, or subject I am interested in researching for this study, would be alcohol use in adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 years old.  An independent variable, or what I am suggesting causes an effect on the dependent variable, would be experience with trauma (Yegidis et al., 2018). Demographic variables include the possible differences due to education, gender, socioeconomic status, and culture.  I had initially planned to view the existence of drinking behavior in these subjects as a constant, or condition that applies to all these subjects.  However, with deeper thought, I realized that the amount or severity of drinking could be a confounding variable unless criteria were in place to establish some consistency, such as a uniform screen like the Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Youth (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2022; Yegidis et al., 2018).

References:

Cunnington, T., PhD. (2022). Hypothesis.  Salem press encyclopedia.

Frieman, J. (2023). Hypothesis development and testing (Psychology).  Salem press encyclopedia of health.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2022, January 20).  Screening and assessment tools chart. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/nidamed-medical-health-professionals/screening-tools-resources/chart-screening-tools

Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018).  Research methods for social workers (8th ed.). Pearson.