D6 Respond

RESEARCH PLAN OVERVIEW 2

Research Plan Overview:

Krishunna Smith MA

Department of Behavior Science, Liberty University

EDCO 747

Dr. Fred Milacci

05/28/26

Author Note

Krishunna Smith.

I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Student. Email: [email protected]

Research Plan: Researching Contributing Factors for Increasing Gun Violence Among African American Youth

Name: Krishunna Smith

Stage of Completion: Stage 3

I. Introduction

A. According to research the rate of homicide amongst African American youth has quadrupled from 1999 to 2022 (Lind et al. 2024)

1. Research shows an increase in homicides and an increase in negative outcomes including decreased mental health stability associated with increased gun violence exposure as children.

a. Lind, A., Mason, S. M., & Wrigley-Field, E. (2024). Increasing firearm-related deaths among U.S. Black Rural youths.  The New England Journal of Medicine, 390(20), 1932-1933. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2403665

b. Sun, S., Hudson, D. L., & Lee, H. (2025). Examining long-term mental health outcomes associated with childhood gun violence exposure: Variations by race/ethnicity and gender. Journal of Urban Health, 102(6), 1141–1151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-025-01034-2

2. According to research economic segregation is associated with higher community violence which leads to higher instances of youth carrying firearms. Research should be conducted to isolate contributors to violence among African American youth so that strategies can be developed to decrease gun violence.

a. Lee, D. B., Hans, Z., Aprill, S. L., Stallworth, P., Zimmerman, M. A., Walton, M. A., & Carter, P. M. (2025). Racialized economic segregation and youth firearm carriage: community violence as a mediator. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 48(3), 513–522. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-025-00564-z

b. Sullivan, T. N., Ross, K. M., O’Connor, K. E., Walsh, C. S., & Bishop, D. (2024). Relations between violence exposure and gun carriage: Identifying protective factors among African American youth living in low-income urban communities. Youth & Society, 56(8), 1396–1424. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X231172531

3. The problem is the increase in gun violence in African American youth. The lack of resources available to help combat this rising trend. This study seeks to understand what is contributing to the rise in gun violence.

B. Purpose

1. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the experience of African American males ages 18 and older who carry weapons in Dallas Texas.

C. General research questions

1. How do African American adult males describe their experience carrying weapons

2. How doe African American adult males describe the reasons for gun violence in their cities

3. How do African American Adult males describe the impact of gun violence in their daily lives.

D. Research Plan

1. Qualitative Research

2. The qualitative approach would be best for this research study. Qualitative research, such as a Phenomenological study can capture the lived experiences of these African American youth. Qualitative research is also good for capturing root causes, which is what this study is aiming to do.

II. Review of Related Literature

A. Theoretical Framework

1. The philosophical assumption for this research epistemology, This assumption studies people in their natural setting and focuses on the meaning the people being studied bring to the research (Creswell & Poth, 2025)

2. Social Constructivism is a worldview that helps to frame this study. According to Creswell & Poth (2025) Social Constructivism is to ask broad enough questions for the participants to express their meaning from their point of view, which will provide a foundation for understanding the increase in gun violence from the point of view of the people group being researched.

B. Important Thinkers/experts/theorists in this field of study

1. Reed, T. A., Wilf, S., Millet, V., & Wray‐Lake, L. (2025). “It’s a mass shooting in the hood everyday”: Black and Latine youth organizers’ reflections on structural racism and community gun violence. American Journal of Community Psychology, 76(1–2), 147–159. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12807

a. This article addresses gun violence from the perspective of organizers against gun violence.

b. This article exposes the need for and challenges against reducing gun violence.

2. Corburn, J., Bruno, A., Cabrera, J., Darling-Hammond, S., & Mujahid, M. (2026). Community violence intervention: Measuring risk & protective factors for gun use among program participants. Health & Justice, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-025-00393-x

a. This article reviews community intervention strategies and protective factors for gun users

b. This article is examining some of the contributing factors for gun violence.

C. Related Research

1. Lee, D. B., Stallworth, P., Cunningham, R. M., Walton, M. A., Neblett, E. W., & Carter, P. M. (2024). Residential racial segregation and youth firearm aggression: Neighborhood disadvantage and exposure to violence as mediators. Youth & Society. Advance online publication https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X241256367

a. This article looks at some contributors for gun violence.

b. This important to the study because the study seeks to understand the contributing factors to gun violence.

2. Aiello, O. (2025). Keep it moving: The traumatic impact of gun violence in the lives of young Black men.  Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 18(1), 179-189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-024-00668-9

a. This article is about the impact of gun violence on African American men.

b. This article expresses the need for intervention from gun violence.

III. Methods

A. Design (approach) and Rationale.

1. Phenomenological study is best for this study

2. This study seeks to understand the lived experiences of African American men who have been exposed to gun violence

B. Site

1. Juanita Craft Recreation Center

2. An available office

3. Participants can be referred to the research study by their probation officers

C. Participants

1. 12-15 participants

2. Probation Officers will refer clients in exchange for benefits such as credit to community service hours.

3. Must be an African American male 18 or older, Must be on a current probation term and compliant with conditions of probation. Must be currently on a regular, high risk or gang caseload and currently being supervised for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon or unlawful carry of a weapon/by felon. Possession of a gun must be noted in his offense report

D. Role of Researcher or Personal biography

1. Krishunna Smith

2. Community Supervision Officer

3. My role in this study is that of the researcher who has a connection to the research as a fellow probation officer (My clients would present a conflict of interests and would be excluded from the study)

4. My personal opinion or bias my come from my work with probationers. I would have to request that participants be anonymous so that I do not know them or recognize their names when their officers are talking about them. I would have to separate my opinion about their criminal histories to avoid bias

E. Data Collection (a critical aspect of qualitative inquiry is rigorous and varied data collection techniques)

1. Interviews

a. A screening interview will be conducted to ensure suitability for the research

b. detail (i.e., parents, snowball sampling, etc.)

2. Surveys (Cognitive Representations)

a. Create surveys to identify common lived experiences between participants.

F. Data Analysis

1. Recording Significant statements

a. Review interview transcripts for common themes and significant statements.

b. Develop cluster of meaning from significant statements

G. Trustworthiness (the reliability, dependability, and transferability information goes here)

1. 1st Technique (i.e., member checks)

a. information about it (i.e., having participants review and respond to…)

b. why important (i.e., this process increases the reliability of the study because…)

2. 2nd Technique (i.e., audit trail)

a. information about it

b. why important

3. 3rd Technique (i.e., reflexivity or memoing)

a. information about it

b. why important

c. and so on…

H. Ethical Considerations

1. Being a probation officer may pose a conflict of interest within the employment setting

2. Client confidentiality amongst peers

References

Aiello, O. (2025). Keep it moving: The traumatic impact of gun violence in the lives of young Black men.  Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 18(1), 179-189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-024-00668-9

Corburn, J., Bruno, A., Cabrera, J., Darling-Hammond, S., & Mujahid, M. (2026). Community violence intervention: Measuring risk & protective factors for gun use among program participants. Health & Justice, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-025-00393-x

Lee, D. B., Hans, Z., Aprill, S. L., Stallworth, P., Zimmerman, M. A., Walton, M. A., & Carter, P. M. (2025). Racialized economic segregation and youth firearm carriage: Community violence as a mediator. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 48(3), 513–522. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-025-00564-z

Lee, D. B., Stallworth, P., Cunningham, R. M., Walton, M. A., Neblett, E. W., & Carter, P. M. (2024). Residential racial segregation and youth firearm aggression: Neighborhood disadvantage and exposure to violence as mediators Youth & Society. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X241256367 .

Lind, A., Mason, S. M., & Wrigley-Field, E. (2024). Increasing firearm-related deaths among U.S. Black rural youths.  The New England Journal of Medicine, 390(20), 1932-1933. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2403665

Reed, T. A., Wilf, S., Millet, V., & Wray‐Lake, L. (2025). “It’s a mass shooting in the hood everyday”: Black and Latine youth organizers’ reflections on structural racism and community gun violence. American Journal of Community Psychology, 76(1–2), 147–159. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12807

Sullivan, T. N., Ross, K. M., O’Connor, K. E., Walsh, C. S., & Bishop, D. (2024). Relations between violence exposure and gun carriage: Identifying protective factors among African American youth living in low-income urban communities. Youth & Society, 56(8), 1396–1424. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X231172531

Sun, S., Hudson, D. L., & Lee, H. (2025). Examining long-term mental health outcomes associated with childhood gun violence exposure: Variations by race/ethnicity and gender. Journal of Urban Health, 102(6), 1141–1151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-025-01034-2

Appendix A Interview Questions/Guide

As an ice breaker I will start the interview by introducing myself and explaining the purpose of the interview and thanking the participant for his time. I would then ask identifying questions about the participant’s life as small talk.

The following interview questions will be asked of the participants

1. What factors do you feel are leading to the increase in gun violence?

2. In what ways have you been personally impacted by gun violence?

3. Why do you think more African American men over 18 are relying on guns for protection?

4. What impact do you feel gun violence has on other African American Men over 18 years?

5. How prevalent do you think gun violence is in your community?

6. Describe your own personal experience with guns.

7. Explain how the sound of gunshots is integrated in your daily life.

8. To what degree has gun violence been accepted, and why do you think this is?

9. What is your personal view on a potential decrease in gun violence?

Appendix B: Other Data Collection Procedures (e.g. Focus Groups, Document Analysis, Writing Prompts, Cognitive Representations, Observations, etc.)

In addition to interviews I will use cognitive representation surveys to identify common lived experiences among participants.

Appendix C Timeline and Budget

· Summer D Semester 2026 – Continue coursework with TRMA 800 – Adult Trauma – This cost of this course will be covered by financial aid.

· Fall 2027 – Begin Dissertation formation and Dissertation design- The cost of these courses are covered by financial aid except for a balance due of $108.00

· Spring 2027 – Begin the work on the dissertation starting in chapter 2 as recommended.

Appendix D Consent Form

Title of Study: A Phenomenological Study of Gun Violence among African American men ages 18 and over

Principle Investigator: Krishunna Smith, Doctoral Candidate, EdD Community Care & Counseling, Liberty University

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