6301 wk 9 assgn
Candyy31
WK4ASSGN_Shanks_L-1.docx2
Methodological Approaches
Lua Shanks
Dr. Leith
SOCW 6301
03-26-2023
Methodological Approaches
Research Topic: The effects of Marijuana on the Mental Health of Adolescents
Article 1: The CannTeen Study: Cannabis use disorder, depression, anxiety, and psychotic- like symptoms in adolescent and adult cannabis users and age-matched controls.
Research Question: There were two hypotheses that were tested by the study. The first hypothesis was that adolescent cannabis users are likely more than adult cannabis users to have severe cannabis use disorder (CUD). The other hypothesis was that adolescent cannabis users have greater psychotic symptoms as compared to adult cannabis. The study involved 274 participants from both adolescents and young adults age groups. The measures for cannabis use disorder were included in the study (Lawn et al., 2022). It is the measurement of these effects in the two selected age groups that make the study fit for the current research that investigates the effects of cannabis on the mental health of adolescents.
Methodological Approach: The study used a quantitative approach in fulfilling the methodological section. A quantitative approach requires a researcher to establish the hypothesis or the research questions for the study prior to the data collection process (Yegidis et al., 2018). The study utilized a cross-sectional analysis where a total of 274 participants were recruited and subdivided into two groups of adolescents and young adults. Variables such as age and cannabis use frequency were recorded for the participants in the two age-groups. Covariates for the study were adjusted and the confidence intervals for values were considered. The DSM-5 tool was used in combination with the Beck Depression Inventory, Psychotomimetic States Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory to obtain measurements for the effects associated with cannabis use (Lawn et al., 2022). The study was indeed quantitative based on the application of these measurement tools that were also used to obtain data.
Article 2: Cognitive development and cannabis use in adolescents.
Research Question: While the study did not have a research question, there were two hypothesis that were tested. The first hypothesis was that cannabis use in adolescents affects cognitive development. The second hypothesis was that the frequency of cannabis uses in adolescents affect their cognitive functions. The study categorized the participants based on their frequency of consumption of cannabis. Tests were done for chronic users, occasional users, and non-users (Frolli et al., 2021).
Methodological Approach: The study used a quantitative approach. Quantitative method as postulated by Yegidis et al. (2018) requires a researcher to establish a question or a hypothesis before the data collection process. Frolli et al. (2021) formulated their hypothesis before the data collection process. The study involved 300 participants who were recruited from 10 secondary schools. The participants were aged between 15 to 16 years. Questionnaires with 6 questions were administered to the participants. The questionnaires investigated the frequency of cannabis consumption in the selected participants. Data analysis was done using SPSS 26.0. Weighted scores for various measurements were computed. Data groups were compared using analysis of variance test (Frolli et al., 2021).
References
Lawn, W., Mokrysz, C., Lees, R., Trinci, K., Petrilli, K., Skumlien, M., ... & Curran, H. V. (2022). The CannTeen Study: Cannabis use disorder, depression, anxiety, and psychotic- like symptoms in adolescent and adult cannabis users and age-matched controls. Journal of psychopharmacology, 36(12), 1350-1361. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/02698811221108956
