ADHD in children and maternal stress
ADHD in children and maternal stress
Hi, thanks for writing the literature review section. I still have some troubles as the School changes my chair and now I have to change the method of collecting data from qualitative into quasi experiment. I will uplaod the entire paper if you dont mind to take a look at what they are asking me to change.
I would like you to help me write these sections. I am investigating the phenomen of maternal stress during the first trimester and the appearnce of ADHD in children around age 5. I will conduct the study at the local clinic. they will provide me with children at age 5 already diagnosed by the clinic with this disorder. All I have to do is to give the survey questions to their mothers to fill it out. They want a nomial scale 1-7 to measure the following: exposure to stress, intensity, frequecny of the exposure to stress, duration, first tiemester of the mother and the Child’s ADHD disorder. Please create a survey questions that tackle these themes ( I created open ended questionas and journals, but the chair rejected them). so whats needed now is a table of these themes and how will I measure them, analyze them and then a a survey questions about themes.
Understanding How Frequent Exposure to Stress during Maternity affects the Development of Attention Problems and Hyperactivity Difficulties in Kindergarten-Age Children
Submitted by
Mayas Ali
A Dissertation Proposal Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctorate of Education
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona
December 31, 2015
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
Introduction
This proposed research outlines a study to explore the maternal exposure to severe stress during the first trimester, and the potential relationship of development of stress disorders in their children, as early as kindergarten. The proposal for this research will use a qualitative methodology, with a phenomenological approach,using the triangulation method. The potential of children exhibiting hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattentiveness, and other classifications of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) increases when their mothers are exposed to severe stress such as relocation, job loss, death of a family member, or any other stress-inducing occurrences while pregnant during first trimester. It will consist a population sample of 15-25 participants and will be conducted at the Kinghaven Counseling Group Clinic. The Kinghaven Counseling Group staff will assist by providing the researcher access to the weekly counseling sessions, which are held with the counselors, to the children whom were diagnosed with attention and anxietyrelated problems. The Kinghaven Counseling Group staff will then distribute the questionnaire amongst the participants to fill them out at their own time. Once these forms are completed, the Kinghaven staff will contact the researcher to collect these forms for the researcher to start the data analysis procedure.
This study will focus on the mothers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and will explore information on the frequency and intensity of stress exposure events during pregnancy. Furthermore; the study will examine the intensity of stress that these mothers were exposed to during maternity; frequency of this stress, duration, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder. The researcher is trying to investigate the proposed phenomenon in between maternal stress and attention related problem in children. The study will seek to examine if externalized stress and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are related to frequency and intensity of their mother’s exposure to the different levels of stress. A narrative literature by Thapar, Cooper, Eyre and Langley (2013), explored the cases of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the risk factors over the past 15 years of research and data collection. Stress during pregnancy was investigated and compared to low and high levels of stress and anxiety in different groups of women during pregnancy and the development of attention troubles and hyperactivity problems in children. The researchers found the children with attention and anxiety related problems are the ones from parents were exposed to high level of stress during certain stages of maternity, compared to other children from less stressful parental exposure to stress. The study by Thapar, Cooper, Eyre and Langley will further the researcher’s understanding of the investigated phenomenon and will gear the research towards the approach of relating stress exposure during maternity and children’s behavioral issues.
The significant gap in literature builds upon the of information of a mother’s exposure to stress during pregnancy and the effect of the mother’s stress over the unborn child’s behavior. This study will attempt to explore a group of mothers whose children are already diagnosed with the exhibiting symptoms of stress and anxiety disorders in terms of attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties resulting in behavior and learning issues in kindergarten-age children. The theoretical foundation for this study derives from the research-based framework by Goodman and Gatib (1998). They were the pioneers in the research that focuses on exploring the mediating factors that mediate the relationship between maternal depression and the child outcome’s mental state. According to Satyanarayana, Lukose&Srinivasan (2011), the mediating factors are the heritability of depression, exposure to negative maternal cognitions, behaviors and exposure to a stressful environment. Hence, a depressed mother who experienced one or more of the mediating factors is more likely to have a child with depression and anxiety related problems. Their study will enrich the existing literature on this topic by supplying the examination of additional factors as theintensity of stress that the mothers are exposed to during maternity, frequency of this stress, duration, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
This proposed study will explore children with attention and learning problem difficulties and their mothers’ exposure to mild-to-severe stress during. A study conducted in Australia by Priddis, Landy, Moroney, and Kane (2014) had explored the many factors that contributed to the development of attention and hyperactivity problems in children. Participants were gathered from the local clinic for children with aggressive behavior against other children with non-aggressive behavior. The data were collected and yielded into the results of many environmental and biological factors such as maternity stress with spouse, maternity self-esteem, and lack of parent-child relations. For example, in any kindergarten classroom, there are a range of students exhibiting behaviors characterized by anxiety, short attention span, and hyperactivity problems. A study by Nomura andChemtob (2009), investigating the maternal psychopathology problems women had experienced while witnessing the attack of September 11th over the co-morbidity of behavioral issues such as short attention span and aggression problems in preschool and kindergarten classes. It was conducted by utilizing a sample of 102 children, between 2 and 5 years of age. The participants were gathered from the local preschools located in lower Manhattan in New York where the actual exposure to September 11th attacks took place. The study answered the formulated objective of the examination intended for the research. The researchers found that there was a positive relationship between the high maternal level of stress and the development of attention and behavioral misconduct in kindergarten school age children in both genders, with a higher presence in boys. These mothers witnessed the airplanes hitting the buildings, they watched people falling off the twin towers, they heard the sounds of ambulances and rescue teams, and some had to move through the debris following the tragedy. This study will provide evidence to support the writer’s proposed phenomenon that there is a significant amount of behavioral problems, aggression, and short span of attention in kindergarten children, which was caused by factors of their mothers’ mental state during pregnancy.
In this study, data collection will be in the form of obtaining answers to the questionnaires from the mothers of children that are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety and behavioral problems and acquiring stress event information related to the exposure of stress during pregnancy, and measuring frequency of exposure and intensity using a scalar range. This study will be valuable since it will explore the relation between the exposure to stress during pregnancy and the development of attention and hyperactivity problems in kindergarten age children. Kinghaven Counseling Group is a clinic that treats mental illnesses in children from different backgrounds and age groups. The data will be collected from a specific group of mothers who were exposed to mild-to-severe stress and anxiety during pregnancy and their children of attention and hyperactivity problems.
Chapter 1 discusses the background of study, prior knowledge to the study, and main themes of the research. Chapters of 2 and 3 will be discussing the themes of the research questions presented in the study. The themes of intensity of stress women exposed to during the first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and the duration of this stress along with the severity of the child’s disorder. Each theme will be discussed thoroughly in these sections of chapter two, backed with scholarly articles to support the researcher’s proposal of the increased chances of having a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when the mother, during the first stage of pregnancy, was exposed to intense form of stress and anxiety related problems. Chapter 2 includesevidence from animal studies, thethemes in which were presented in the research questions, measurements and instruments, and methodological approach. Chapter 3 discusseshow the study will be conducted with reinforcement of the research questions and the proposed problem statement.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content Expert Score |
| Introduction
This section provides a brief overview of the research focus or problem, explains why this study is worth conducting, and discusses how this study will be completed. (Minimum three to four paragraphs or approximately one page) |
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| Dissertation topic is introduced and value of conducting the study is discussed. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Discussion provides an overview of what is contained in the chapter. | 3
I added what need in this feedback section |
2, this will be done as summarization as each section of the paper becomes finished. Then a good summary of how she will address the RQ, and the themes of Ch. 2 and Ch.3 should be added. | 2 | 2 |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:The main things are that alignment and clarity have to adjust from here through the paper. And the main problems with clarity lead to the categorical problems you see as Questions by the Methods person.
1. You have a new Methods person, and this is helpful as those sections of your paper, Ch. 3 was undeveloped and Dr. Walker didn’t critique it for that reason. 2. The methods have to be justified still based on your literature study, which you finally have met the min. . The main this is to decide on what you have learned so far: questionnaires on perceived exposure to stress is (not) an open ended , or journal type of acquisition. So your paper doesn’t align, until you incorporate the variables or constructs into the questions on the Ch. 3 and justify it with research. This section is still incomplete. 3. A questionnaire would be good to link with a nominal scale and that is quantifiable. And the quasi clinical is holding steading the clinic for kids that have the illnesses. 4. IRB implications are that you are not doing, open ended questions, you are not doing journals, and you are not doing focus groups. So this have to align and be rewritten. 5. You can narrow down to questionnaire that is structured and you have to change the language: Example, This is a quasi-clinical study looking at ( phenomenonon) and stress during pregnancy, and coding using a nominal scale coding perceptions of stress events during pregnancy capturing values of frequency, intensity, time frame, duration and severity of a group of mother (from ) with children in (x school with x symptoms). it is quasi clinical in that you are holding the independent VAR, children with stress disorders, and the dependent are the attributes you assign values. 6. If you do qualitative, you have to use these as themes, but you can’t do anything prolonged for time factors in collecting data.
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Background of the Study
Although there are a number of studies looking at mothers’ maternal stress and the development of attention and hyperactivity related problems in their children, they are not looking at a specific age group of kindergarten children and querying the mothers for exposure to stress during first trimester of pregnancy. This study willenrich the literature by providing additional factors of examination, such as the intensity of stress in which the mothers are exposed to during maternity, frequency of this stress, duration, trimester of pregnancy, and the severity of the child’s disorder. Additionally, the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) derived from treatable emotional, medical, and psychosocial factors affecting children. The underlying theme ofFurman (2008) phenomenon states that it is unlikely the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) will be an identifiable disease on its own. Moreover, the attention, impulsivity, and other treatable medical illnesses can affect children’s development at an early age.
Grizenko, et al. (2012) looked at the relationship between maternal stress during pregnancy and the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children under age 5. The authors have noted the possibility of other confounding factors such as women’s diet and parental psychiatric disorder. The aim of their study was to manipulate all other factors using an intra-familial design, and investigate gene-environment interaction with one another. They conducted the study through the collection of 142 children, ages 6 and 12, (71 with ADHD, and their 71 non-ADHD siblings) (Grizenko et al., 2012). The severities of symptoms were evaluated using the Child Behavior Checklist and the Kinney Medical Questionnaire. The conclusion of their study suggested that mothers were more likely to have experienced high levels of stress during pregnancy of their Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) children when compared to that of the unaffected sibling. The study conducted by Grizenko, et al. (2012)neglected to narrow down the investigation of severe stress exposure to stress during the first trimester, but rather the overall pregnancy.
Another research conducted by Leis, Heron, Stuart and Mendelson (2014) to examine the association between elevated symptoms of various depressions, and stress independently and emotional problems in kindergarten children. There were 2,891 women and their children. Women completed the assigned questionnaire regarding their status of the above independent variables and then mothers and teachers assessed the child’s emotional and behavioral problems using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (p.169). A high percentage of children with attention related problems have mothers who experienced stress and anxiety during pregnancy. Those targeted students with attention and hyperactivity difficulties, if their symptoms went untreated, 40% of them will try alcohol and tobacco at an early age, and 25% would be expelled and/or dropped out from high school (Curatolo, D’Agati, &Moavero, 2010).In comparison to Leis, Heron, Stuart and Mendelson’sresearch, this study will examine the frequency of stress the mothers were exposed to, as well as focusing on the first trimester.
Another notable research by Freitag et al. (2012) investigating the high possibility of the link between maternal stress and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. Freitag et al. (2012) investigated the various possibilities of the appearance of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children; among these factors was stress during pregnancy. After conducting a qualitative study using the questionnaire dynamic, the researchers concluded that attention difficulties and hyperactivity problems occurred in alignment with the oppositional defiant disorder in childhood. This information is very important because the defying authority category will occur when the mothers during maternity are exposed to severe stress, which will have a direct effect on the neuropsychiatry of the fetus in the womb (Freitage et al., 2012). This study will provide grounded support to explore the stress that mothers experience during maternity and the possible appearance of attention and hyperactivity related problems in their children.
Although prior studies investigated the phenomenon of the relation between mothers’ exposure to stress during pregnancy and attention disorders in the children, this proposed research will further investigate this phenomenon. This study will not only examine this relation but also will consider the additional factors of intensity of the experienced stress, frequency and duration of this stress, the trimester of pregnancy, and the severity of the attention problems in children. Exploring these additional factors will provide additional information in terms of stress experienced during first trimester of pregnancy and the development of attention related problems and hyperactivity issues in kindergarten-age children. The findings will further help identify the phenomenon that there is a relationship between maternal stress and the high possibility of attention and anxiety related problems in kindergarten- age children.
This study will address the research questions through the investigation of the five themes of intensity of stress mothers were exposed to during the first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and the duration of this stress and the intensity of the child’s disorder. The problem statement and the research questions would be addressed through the open-ended questionnaire in which it will be given to the sample of 15-25 participants at the Kinghaven Counseling Group clinic. These questions will provide an overview about the major themes of the research questions and the problem statement. Additionally, the participants will have the opportunity to write their own viewpoints about their emotions during the stress-related events in which they were exposed to during the first trimester of pregnancy. This proposal would be aligned with other research and experiments in filling in the gaps by explaining this phenomenon from different approaches using the themes of trimester, intensity of stress, frequency, duration and the child’s disorders.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content Expert Score |
| Background of the Study
The background section explains both the history of and the present state of the problem and research focus. It identifies the “gap” or “need” based on a summary of the current literature and discusses how the study will address that “gap” or “need.” (Minimum two to three paragraphs or approximately one page) |
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| Provides a summary of results from the prior empirical research on the topic and identifies the need as defined by the prior research which this current study will address. | 3
I added per the comment provided from Dr. Lonergan |
3, This section is under construction and almost done. She has to keep adding to this and summarize it by using headings and taking those themes back into the summary of how to address the RQ required at end of section 1. | 2 | 2 |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: Add the specifics of your population sample and location to your problem statement, a little more exactly like the title. So you have the sample there, but try to conjoin it to the problem statement, simplify the it for that purpose and then explain further as you do. And what for adjuncts on the long statements. Eg. The research does not fill in literature. The instruments are measured in those ways, so please go fix that. And see that your problem statement has typo-o. And it’s not if and how. Decide on one okay. And don’t add things, use “if”, as the template proposes. DR. L. Agreed, Dr. S. | ||||
Problem Statement
It is not known to what extent frequent exposure to stress during maternity affects the development of attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in children as early as kindergarten-age. This proposed study intends to examine the relationship between mothers’ exposure to mild-to-severe stress during the first trimester of their pregnancy and the potential development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity disorders in their children, as expressed as early as in kindergarten-age.
The population affected from this research study would be a group of mothers (15-25 participants) at the Kinghaven counseling group clinic, whose children were already exhibiting the symptoms of stress and anxiety disorders in terms of attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties as demonstrated in the study by Van den Bergh and Marcoen (2004) to investigate whether or not the exposure of women during pregnancy to frequent levels of anxiety would enhance the child’s susceptibility to childhood mental disorder, represented by varieties of attention problems and hyperactivity issues. Following certain criteria by the authors of the study, 86 Caucasian women accepted the case study and multiple data were collected through a thorough questionnaire regarding their stress level during 12 weeks and 22 weeks of pregnancy without any reports of complications of drug abuse history. They found that the exposure to a high level of intense stress and anxiety for a long period of time were risk factors for developing attention and anxiety related problems in children as early as kindergarten-age.
A study by Rodriguez and Bohlin (2005) confirmed why the proposed research needs to be conducted. The stress during pregnancy can predict symptoms related to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in seven years old boys. This study was collected using a sample of (n=290) mothers and (n=208) respected teachers. Using the multiple regression analysis, it depicted that stress was an interdependently related with the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Rodriguez &Bohlin, 2005).There is a considerable evidence that maternal stress is associated with the behavioral disturbances in children (Ramchandani, Richter, Norris, & Stein, 2010).
This research study willexamine the possible relationship between frequent maternal exposure to severe stress and the development of anxiety-related problems and attention difficulties since the investigation of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is not clearly understood. Studies have been conducted in examining the different root causes to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) from several aspects. These aspects include, but not limited to, genetics, intolerance to foods/food additives, molds, fungi, chemical substances from toys, teeth fillings, and maternal exposure to stress and anxiety (Kidd, 2011).
Children with attention and hyperactivity disorders experience great difficulties in schools. This can lead to many problematic outcomes such as exclusion from class work, poor achievements, grade repetitions, as well as behavioral difficulties that include risk behaviors under a risk-conceptual framework (Martin, 2014). Therefore, it is important to investigate the relation between a mother’s stress level during pregnancy and the child’s development of attention and hyperactivity problems. This proposed study will provide additional knowledge to the relation in between attention difficulties in children and their mother’s maternal stress. This additional knowledge will be examined through the factors of intensity of the experienced stress, frequency and duration of this stress, the trimester of pregnancy, and the severity of the attention problems in children.
A study by Grizenko et al., (2008) examined the severity of maternal stress during pregnancy and the severity of symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).Children (N=203) ages between 6 and 12 were recruited and their level of the disorder were assessed. Based on their mothers’ feedbacks, teachers, and the Child Behavioral Checklist. The findings suggested that the higher intensity of stress the mothers had during pregnancy, the high levels of attention difficulties and hyperactivity problems the children have in schools. More research in this field is needed to fill in the gaps of literature in terms of maternal stress and attention problems in children. when comparing these studies that are mentioned in this proposal to this proposed research, this proposal has a different approach examining the phenomenon of the possible relation between maternal stress and the development of attention and hyperactivity problems in their children as early as kindergarten-age. The examination of the first trimester, intensity of stress, frequency, duration, and the intensity of the child’s disorder will fill the gaps of literature regarding the needed information on this topic under these five themes through the use of qualitative method to collect and analyze data.
Upon drawing a conclusive analysis, the study will bring an awareness that tackles not only pregnant women, but family members, spouses, and friends as well. The study will address a very important problem as it relates to the entire family of the troubled child and his/her kindergarten classroom. This qualitative research study using the phenomenological inquiry will be utilized to conduct the study. The dynamic of the study will be conducted through the recruitment of mothers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and their children of kindergarten- age from the Kinghaven Counseling Group.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content Expert Score |
| States the specific problem proposed for research by presenting a clear declarative statement that begins with “It is not known if and to what degree/extent…” (quantitative) ~or~ or “It is not known how/why and…” (qualitative) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Identifies the general population affected by the problem. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Suggests how the study may contribute to solving the problem. | 3
The section was revised per this comment |
2, This section can be highlighted against every study you introduce by contrasting it to your RQ and ideas you want to demonstrate. | 2 | 2 |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 3 | 3, coming along, still slightly undeveloped. | 2 | 2 |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: The thing here is to read for editing. There has to be one space after every period for example. And this is more clear. Dr. L. Agreed, Dr. S. | ||||
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between maternal exposure to severe stress and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children around kindergarten-age. When conducting this study using the randomly chosen sample through the Kinghaven clinic, the researcher will draw a conclusion that these abnormalities were highly associated with their mothers being exposed to stress during pregnancy.
The sample of 15-25 participants from the Kinghaven Counseling Group clinic is already consist of children categorized with this disorder, so it will be the parents’ role to fill in the questionnaires that will be handed to them during the sessions of psychology and/or psychiatry appointments. The themes of intensity, frequency and duration of the exposure to the stress among other factors were chosen as tools surrounded the pregnant mother during pregnancy and the child with the categories of inattentiveness and hyperactivities. Additionally, these themes were not found all together in one study as this proposed research offers. Other studies might have picked one or two themes and conducted the study with the focus on something associated with smoking and cortisal level.
This study will answer the proposed research questions as to how do the intensity levels of mothers’ exposure to stress during first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and duration of stress, and severity of the children’s disorders associate with the development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-age children. This qualitative method is a phenomenological design that consists of a population sample of (15-25) participants and will be conducted at the Kinghaven Counseling Group clinic.
Experiencing psychosocial stress during pregnancy is associated with adverse health and behavioral outcomes in their children, as well as maternal health and birth outcomes risks (Christian, 2015).Children with attention problems will create an environment for themselves away from reality and will not want to be told what to do in schools or at home. They need consistent care with proper nutrients in order to grow and to understand the importance of being a good citizen in the community and the society at large. The researcher will investigate the frequent exposure to stress during maternity as an indicator to increase the risk of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. This qualitative method will utilize questionnaire forms, interviews, and case observations of mother-son relations, and self-report narration in order to achieve the objectives of gaining an insight as how the stress that mothers exposed to during the first trimester has an effect over the development of anxiety related problems in terms of attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties as early as kindergarten-age children.
The Kinghaven Counseling Group is a clinic to identify, diagnose, analyze and treat many types of mental illnesses. Upon the proper processing of documents and acquiring access to patients and their historical background, the researcher will document the collected information on the spot using the proper coding and the proper forms. The significance of the study would contribute to the gap of literature regarding topics that explore the behavior of children and their academic success in studying the relation of maternal stress and anxiety related problems in their children, focusing on maternal exposure to stress during pregnancy, frequency of the stress, duration, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content Expert Score |
| PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose statement section expands on the problem statement and identifies how the study will be accomplished. It explains how the proposed study will contribute to the field. This section is summarized in Chapter 3. (Minimum two to three paragraphs) |
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| Presents a declarative statement: “The purpose of this study is….” that identifies the research methodology and design, population, variables (quantitative) or phenomena (qualitative) to be studied and geographic location. | 3 I added what needed here per the comment provided | 3, This section has improved and I’d like to get it scored by the rest of the committee to help her narrow down and expand on the ch. 2 anch. 3. Dr. L
It starts to get weaker here. So really explain to me what you want to show me, why do this study and what are you going to prove, and how. Go slow and think about the reasons behind why you want to do this study. |
2 | 2 |
| Identifies research methodology as qualitative, quantitative, or mixed, and identifies the specific research design. | 3 done per comment | 2, repeat everything here, slowly | 2 | 2 |
| Describes the target population and geographic location for the study. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Quantitative: Defines the variables, relationship of variables, or comparison of groups.
Qualitative: Describes the nature of the phenomena to be explored. |
3 added per comment | 2, Go through this again and explain exactly how you intend to measure them and bring in examples for every concept and try to bring in validity, by showing it has been done elsewhere. DR. L> | 1 – please see comments about a table about measurement criteria | 2 (agree with Dr. L) |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: The main thing here is to slow down enough to show how you think a scale on frequency and exposure and duration or intensity will help you determine an interrelationship. Then show how others have done something similar. And then explain the sample and their very detailed characteristics and how you want to query the mother. Dr. L Agreed
You have to follow the format for the purpose statement, and I have given this to you already: Purpose has to have the following components in grammatical sentence: Purpose = method + design + problem statement + sample + location. Please try to do this. DR. L. |
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Research Question(s)
Phenomenon. There may be an association between a mother’s exposure to stress during the first term of pregnancy and the development of mild to severe anxiety, attention difficulties, and hyperactivity related problems in children, as early as kindergarten-age. Categories such as inattentive, disruptive behavior and defying authorities are academically unacceptable and will have an impact on the child’s progress at schools. Studies of children with attention and hyperactivity problems suggest that the appearances of low self-esteem and lack of motivational self-progress, anxiety and stress during elementary schools, if went un acknowledged during the early years, children will have to face difficulties and challenges with not only academia such as class retention and grade failings, but with peer pressure, decision making, and critical thinking as well (Edbom, Granlund, Lichtenstein & Larsson, 2008).Further research is needed to provide a clear evidence to justify the need to investigate the relationship between mother’s maternal exposure to frequent levels of stress and the appearance of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in their children as early as kindergarten-age.
According to Van den Bergh, Mulder, Mennes and Glover (2005), “an ultrasound was performed during the gestation states for a 28-30 week fetus and the study showed a disturbance of the development of the fetus.Women during pregnancy experience different types of feelings and emotions.” (p.1). This study along with other studies provides a supportive background to the writer’s proposed topic. It will be another supportive result when the writer’s proposed study gets the approval to conduct the research at the Kinghaven clinic.
The following would be the research questions in which the researcher of this phenomenon is trying to investigate using the qualitative study:
R1: How do theintensity levelsof mothers’ exposure to stress during first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and duration of stress, and severity of the children’s disorders associate with the development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-age children?
R2: What is the relationship between mothers’ exposure to mild-to-severe stress during the first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and duration of the stress, along with the severity of the child’s disorder in relation to the high possibility of the development of mild-to-severe anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity disorders in their children, as expressed as early as in kindergarten-age children?
In research question number one: it investigates the five themes/categories of intensity of stress women exposed to during maternity, trimester, frequency and the duration of the stress and lastly the severity of the child’s disorder. It will see how these five categories associate with the development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-age children. The second research question is investigating the relationship between mothers’ exposure to mild-to-severe stress during the first trimester, frequency and duration of the stress, and the severity of the child’s disorder and the high possible appearance of attention and anxiety related problems in terms of inattentiveness and other behavioral issues in kindergarten-age children.
The qualitative method is the design that will be used to answer the proposed research questions in terms of investigating the relationship between maternal exposure to severe stress and the potential of having children with attention and hyperactivity issues as early as kindergarten age. The way in which the researcher is collecting data would be through the questionnaire format. The questionnairewill be handed to the mothers of the diagnosed kindergarten-age children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). After the completion of this questionnaire, the researcher will collect and analyze the findings and will validate the prediction that there is a high possibility of developing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children with mothers whose experienced mild to severe levels of anxiety during their first trimester of pregnancy. The main interest of this etiology is the exposure of women in their first trimester of pregnancy to severe stress in terms of frequency, intensity, duration, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
In terms of frequency as one of the themes in which the researcher is investigating, the exposure to higher levels of stress throughout pregnancy relates highly to the development of attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in children as early as 4-5 years old. A study conducted by Rodriguez and Bohlin (2005) was aimed to investigate the relationship of smoking and stress during maternity and their effects on the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on children of kindergarten age. They concluded that woman during maternity tend to smoke due to severe levels of stress on a frequency of 6 occasions (gestational weeks of 10, 12, 20, 28, 32, and 36) (Rodriguez and Bohlin, 2005, p.2). Their study supports the researcher’s prediction that there is a relationship between the frequent exposure to stress during maternity and the development of attention issues and hyperactivity problems in kindergarten children.
Mild to severe intensity levels of stress will be measured during the investigation of the phenomenon to show the possible relationship between the mother’s maternal exposure to stress and the development of attention related problems and hyperactivity issues. A study by Ronald, Pennell, and Whitehouse (2011) was conducted to suggest that children of mothers who were exposed to higher levels of stress during pregnancy would be more likely to face challenges with their kindergarten-aged children. Furthermore, the study suggests that the prenatal maternal stress is a risk factor not only to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but it affects the development of Autism as well. The results were based on the measurement of the life stress inventory (Tennant and Andrews, 1976) that tackles a wide range of life events that can induce stress on a pregnant mother such as death of a family member, job loss, marital issues, and many other stressful events (Ronald, Pennell, and Whitehouse, 2011).
Duration of stress in mothers is also another important theme in the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as concluded in the study by Farokhzadi et al. (2012). They studied the effects of long-term exposure to stress of mothers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) versus the mothers of normal children. The study consisted of a population of 400 parents (divided evenly between children having ADHD and normal children) and it was concluded that the length of stress mothers were exposed to during pregnancy does have a significant effect on the development of behavioral issues and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-aged children.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| Research Question(s) and/or Hypotheses
This section narrows the focus of the study by specifying the research questions to address the problem statement. Based on the research questions, it describes the variables and/or groups and their hypothesized relationship (quantitative study) or the phenomena under investigation (qualitative study). It describes how the research questions are related to the problem statement and how the research questions will facilitate collection of the data needed to answer the research questions. (Minimum two to three paragraphs or approximately one page) |
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| Qualitative Designs:States the research question(s) the study will answer and describes the phenomenon to be studied.
Quantitative Designs:States the research questions the study will answer, identifies the variables, and states the hypotheses (predictive statements) using the format appropriate for the specific design. |
3
Done per this comment |
2, go through this section and use this language in the score card exactly and try to break every major noun/concept needing explanation into a good section or paragraph to make sure you go through this descriptively. | 2 | 2 |
| This section includes a discussion of the research questions, relating them to the problem statement. | 3 | 3 | 1 – well stated, but more clarification is needed around data collection instruments and analysis methods. A table would help a lot. | 3 |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 3 | 3, it coming along good. See prior comment | 2 | 2 |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:So the main thing with this is start off in the very beginning saying what your problem is, and then link that to the RQ and say how you can answer the RQ by setting up the study. Stay focused early on, and see that the topic statements are also not grammatical and not useful towards the purpose of the section. Go exactly only over what it calls on: how is the RQs related to your problem statement? And how can you test this ? Bring the empiricism here. Dr. L.
See my comments too. Based on Methodolog- Adjust awkard RQ. Are there any patterns in the perceptions of stress in a group of mothers whose children are already diagnosed with ADHD and part of a x counseling group? RQ2: Do patterns appear in certain trimesters more frequently in self reports on a nominal scale for mothers of children in x couseling group ? And then use a nominal scale and narrow this down. Dr. L |
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Advancing Scientific Knowledge
There is a significant gap in literature regarding the maternal stress during the first trimester and the development of attention and hyperactivity problems in children as early as kindergarten-age. This will acknowledge the importance of creating a less stressful environment for the pregnant women during the full term of maternity and how this environment will have a healthy impact on the child’s mental health. Other studies on this topic did show the association between maternal stress and the categories of ADHD in children, but these studies did not tackle this specific topic in terms of the first stage of pregnancy, the stress factor, the intensity of this stress, frequency and duration, and the intensity of the child’s disorder.
Studying the phenomenon of a possible relationship between maternal stress during the first trimester and the development of stress, inattentiveness and anxiety related issues in kindergarten-age children will advance the body of literature on this topic. The advancement will be present through the presented five themes in the research questions that will be discussed in this proposal. Moreover, this advancement will address the gap in literature that is needed to be discussed and analyzed for future research. This proposal will set the ground for future research with the possibility of replicating the study when needed, yielding into the same results that show the possible increase of the child’s (ADHD) when their mothers’ exposed to stress during maternity.
Studies by Gavin et al. (2005) found that up to 13% of women whom experienced some episodic exposure to stress throughout pregnancy will support the fetal origins hypothesis. This hypothesis explains that the prenatal exposure to stress will have sustained effects across the child’s lifespan (Kinsella and Monk, 2013). Additionally, this finding is consistent with research in which was conducted on the off springs of the women from the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1994 in which severe conditions of food and shelter along side with high forms of stress and anxiety were evident as one of the factors in the increase risk of having children with major mental disorders such as schizophrenia and other personality disorders.
When studying this phenomenon, it will go forward through the current research and it will add to the current body of knowledge since this proposed study is studying the categories of intensity of mothers’ exposure to stress during first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and duration of stress, and severity of the children’s disorders associate with the development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-age children. It will explain the gap and it will address that gap and identify it in the body of literature on this topic. The above five categories are important to examine hence this study is trying to investigate the possible relation between maternal exposure to stress and their children of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
This proposed study is based on the theory of Goodman and Gatib (1998). They theorized that there are factors mediate the relationship between maternal stress and anxiety related problems and the child psychological problems. A mother with high exposure to maternal stress and other mediating factors will be more likely to have a child with psychological issues. This research study will expand the exploration of the theory by Goodman and Gatib (1998) “the theory of the mediating factors” that the themes of first trimester, intensity of stress, frequency, and duration are all significant factors in shaping the child’s behavior at younger age. It will extend the understanding of the mediating factors theory and evolve it into a new level of understanding that these are major factors when it comes to child’s attention and hyperactivity issues.
Consequently, analyzing such a phenomenon will enhance the acknowledgment of the relationship between maternal stress and the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in their children. The findings will yield a new understanding that when studying the frequent exposure to stress, the duration and the intensity of it alongside the first trimester and the severity of the child’s disorder will provide a new look on how to study this phenomenon using these five themes.
| Criterion
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Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| ADVANCINGSCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
This section specifically describes how the research will advance the body of knowledge on the topic. The study can yield a small step forward in a line of current research, but it must add to the current body of knowledge in the literature in the learner’s program of study. It identifies the “gap” or “need” based on the current literature and discusses how the study will address that “gap” or “need.” This section also identifies the theory(ies) or model(s) that provide the theoretical foundation for the study and how the study will contribute to the research on the theory(ies) or model(s). This section summarizes part of the Background (focused on identifying the “gap” or “need” from the literature) and Theoretical Foundations sections (expanded in Chapter 2). (Minimum two tothree paragraphs) |
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| Clearly identifies the “gap” or “need” in the literature that was used to define the problem statement and develop the research questions. | 3
done |
2, developing in contrast and usefulness and the literature review develops. | 2 | 2 |
| Describes how the study will address the “gap” or “identified need” defined in the literature and contribute to the body of literature. | 3
done |
2, please highlight | 2 | 2 |
| Identifies the theory(ies) or model(s) that provide the theoretical foundations or conceptual frameworks for the study. | 3done | 2, go over this against the RQ and answer what your theory can contribute, how it see the answer, ad what methods it uses. Show examples in research. | 2 | 2 |
| Connects the study directly to the theory and describes how the study will add or extend the theory or model. | 3
Done: the theory is added |
2 | 2 | 2 |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 3
done |
2 | 2 | 2 |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:This section has to deal with theory. Where is that ? Dr. L. Agreed here | ||||
Significance of the Study
This study is significant becausethere are many co-founding factors to the root cause of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Additionally, investigating the phenomenon of the frequent exposure of stress that women face during their first trimester and the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in kindergarten children will further explore the previous studies in this field. Therefore, the study will explore if the frequent exposure to stress during maternity affects the development of attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in children as early as kindergarten-age. The researchers identified a wide range of factors contributing to the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among them was the maternal exposure to stress. The researcher’s proposal will focus and narrow it on the theory that stress enhances development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The results of this study affect the current state of the children’s diagnosis and it will add to numerous previous studies such as Grizenko et al. (2012).
In relations to the proposed statement in the theoretical foundation section, the researcher’s study will further explore this research and will yield an understanding of the emotional changes that women undergo during pregnancy and how these changes might have an effect on the child’s mental health as they start to appear as –early-as kindergarten age. A research conducted by Johnson, Wiersema, and Kuntsi (2009) aligns with the researcher’s study of the relationship between exposure to stress by mothers during maternity and development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in their children. This proposed research would mandate having the behavioral therapy plan for the mentally disturbed pregnant women diagnosed with stress, depression and anxiety as part of their maternal plans before and after pregnancy. The support system represented by family, friends, community members and church associates would have a great impact on minimizing the negative effects of being exposed to severe types of stress and anxiety during pregnancy.
Similarly to the previous studies, this proposed research topic will not only show the relationship between maternal exposure to stress and the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children, but it will be adopted as a plan side by side with the physical treatment plan that women undergo during maternity. This research should be available on the sites that deal with maternity and the child’s mental health. It should be evident enough to acknowledge the fact that there is a high potential of having a child with attention and hyperactivity related problems if the mother of that child experience an intense emotions of stress-anxiety during pregnancy.
The outcome of this study may have an impact on theory, model, and practice as it can contribute to the understanding of how exposure to severe stress during the first trimester will have a possible effect over the development of attention problems and hyperactivity troubles in their kindergarten-age children. The results can also be used to identify an existence state of a diagnosed child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and relate this status to his/her mother’s mental state during pregnancy and in particular during the first trimester. Thus, trainings and coaching to mothers during these stages are good contributors in spreading awareness on this topic and a good tool to educate them about the subject.
While other studies described the phenomenon from different approaches as such studying the weight of women during pregnancy, the living situation that surrounds the pregnant women and other factors, this proposed topic will provide a practical use after drawing a conclusion about the data in this study. Many local nutritious programs that are targeting women during and after pregnancy may facilitate this study to these targeted populations of women-children and explain to them the importance of creating an environment that has less stressful events. Pappas (2014) noted in her article at the Live Science website that in order to understand babies and their reaction to the new world, ones might need to study them when they are in their mothers’ womb. Furthermore, the article shed some light over the research in which was conducted at the Denvor lab university to have mothers with their children observe a robot that dances and sings. The tests were to measure the child’s reaction and temperament. The research suggested that children that come from families with a high income, will have a lower rate to have a child with mental disability when comparing with families where mothers work full time, assisted by governmental programs for needy/low income families in which their children will have a high rate for mental disability (Pappasa, 2014). This study will add a value to the community/population of pregnant women and children after knowing all the possible facts that might been the root causes of their children’s Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Rationale for Methodology
The qualitative method will be used to investigate the phenomenon of maternal exposure to stress and the development of attention problems and hyperactivity troubles in their children as early as kindergarten-age. The researcher will utilize the qualitative methodology withaphenomenological approach because this approach has various types of dynamics such as case studies and surveys (Marshall &Rossman, 2014). It is important to use qualitative phenomenological in this study simply because it provides different interpretations from different perspectives especially when conducting a case study (Merriam, 2009).For example, researchers conducting qualitative method can use the case study approach to relive the conditions that the participants experienced and can base their insights towards the interpretation of the results.
The following would be the research questions in which the researcher of this phenomenon is trying to investigate through the use of the qualitative methodology. Research question number one explores how do the intensity levels of mothers’ exposure to stress during first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and duration of stress, and severity of the children’s disorders associate with the development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-age children? Research question number two asks what is the relationship between mothers’ exposure to mild-to-severe stress during the first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and duration of the stress, along with the severity on the child’s disorder in relation to the high possibility of the development of mild-to-severe anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity disorders in their children, as expressed as early as in kindergarten-age children?
This proposed study consists of a population sample of 15-25 participants and will be conducted at Kinghaven Counseling Group. The Kinghaven Counseling Group staff will grant the researcher access to the weekly counseling sessions between the counselors, children diagnosed with attention and anxiety problems, and their mothers. The clinic’s staff will distribute the questionnaire amongst the participants to fill out at their own time. Once these forms are completed, they will contact the researcher to collect the forms. It will focus on the mothers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and will explore information on the intensity of stress that mothers were exposed to during maternity, frequency of this stress, duration, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
The qualitative method has proved to be an efficient form of approach in previous studies such as the study conducted by Grizenko et al. (2012). In this study, a questionnaire was distributed to women whose children exhibited attention and hyperactivity related issues to assess their stress level during their pregnancies. The questionnaire used a scoring system based on the DSM-III and DSM-III-R axis IV scales (1 = no stress, 2 = mild, 3 = moderate, 4 = severe, 5 = intense) (Grizenko et al., 2012, p.3). The resulting analysis was that women who experienced high levels of stress during pregnancy were more likely to have a child who might be affected by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) compared to that of the unaffected siblings in the normal, reduced-stress pregnancy. The study by Grizenko et al. (2012) provides value that the qualitative method has proven to be an effective approach in conducting a research similar of this proposed study.
The qualitative methodological framework and the phenomenological approach aligns with the purpose of the study and the problem statement presented in this study because the researcher is trying to achieve understanding about the importance of having a healthy maternal state during the first trimester and minimizing the appearance of attention and anxiety related problems in their children. The phenomenological approach will support the qualitative methodology in the study as phenomenological analyses will allow the use of creative synthesis to show patterns and relationships in the chosen themes. It will also allow for the reflective actions and to expand the understanding of the lived experience of the participants (Moustakas, 1994).
| Criterion*
(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| Rationale for Methodology
This section clearly justifies the methodology the researcher plans to use for conducting the study. It argues why the methodological framework is the best approach to answer the research questions and how it will address the problem statement. It uses citations from textbooks and articles on research methodology and/or articles on related studies to justify the methodology. (Minimum two to three paragraphs) |
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| Identifies the specific research methodology for the study. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Justifies the methodology to be used for the study by discussing why it is the best approach for answering the research question(s) and addressing the problem statement. | 3
done |
3, keep reviewing and proof reading these sections for the methods person. The paper has to have solid Ch. 3 to go to AQR. | 2 | 2 |
| Uses citations from seminal (authoritative) sources (textbooks and/or empirical research literature) to justify the selected methodology. Note:Introductory or survey research textbooks (such as Creswell) are not considered seminal sources. | 3
done |
2, you have to show your methods via the other studies. | 2 | 2 |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 3 | 2 | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:Please see that you are using the RQ format in this section. Please don’t do that unless it is called for. Please refer to the criterion on how this section is structured and also reword that into more natural language. Follow the template exactly. Dr. L. Agreed with Dr. L. Dr S. | ||||
Nature of the Research Design for the Study
The specific research design for the study of investigating the relationship between mothers’ exposure to mild-severe stress during maternity and the possible development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity issues in kindergarten-age children would be the qualitative method including the phenomenological approach. Phenomenology is concerned with the study of human experiences through the stream of consciousness viewed by the participants’ eyes (Simon and Goes, 2011). Any manner in which the human subjects can describe their phenomenal past experiences can be considered an essential factor when analyzing data. This is significant as it requires experiences from the mothers’ perspectives during their pregnancies to the level of stress they had experienced. This information would be grand in analyzing and investigating the relationship between mothers’ experienced stress level during pregnancy and the development of attention and hyperactivity difficulties in their prospective children.
Due to the nature of the qualitative method in which the researcher will be utilizing in-depth interviews, self-written reports, and introducing the open-ended questions to the participants, the study will examine moderate-to-severe stress exposure from the mothers’ perceptions during pregnancy. This particular design allows the participants to verbally explain their exposure to stress using their own words, vocabularies, facial gestures, alongside the body languages (Kendall et al., 2013).
The triangulation manners in which the researcher would be utilizing in collecting data are in-depth interviews with the participants and written self-reports. Moustakas (1994) is considered the founder of the phenomenological research (Simon and Goes, 2011). Moustakas believed that when conducting a phenomenological research, the researcher should focus on the wholeness of the experience along with the behavior associated with it. Additionally, Moustakas viewed the experience and the behavior as one inseparable relationship of a phenomenon with the person who is experiencing the phenomenon (Lin, 2013). The best determinants of stress levels experienced during maternity are the mothers, themselves. They provide an in-depth view to the occurrences during maternity that led to the stress level experienced. The researcher’s study willshareMoustakas’ principle that the experiences and behaviors have a relationship of the phenomenon with the person experiencing this phenomenon. Relatively, it would be the stress level of mothersduring maternity and the development of attention problem sand hyperactivity difficulties in their children.
Kinghaven Counseling Group clinic will give access to the researcher to have in-depth interviews with the participants during their regular sessions. The researcher will further investigate upon the mothers’ stress exposures during their first trimester of pregnancy. The participants will have the opportunity to write self-reports regarding their maternal exposure to stress and give details to their mental, emotional, and physical experiences.
There are other multiple approaches that use qualitative methodologies such as ethnography, field research, and grounded theory. Ethnography is identified by its focus on the culture in which the participants are studied within. It could include the culture of a business or any other defined group. The researcher will relive the experience from the participant’s point of view in its natural, realistic habitat when collecting the data. The field research approach of qualitative design is also another way to collect data where the researcher emerges into the natural state of the environment. Lastly, the grounded theory is a theory formed around the collected data (Cho & Lee, 2014). This qualitative method is a phenomenological design that consists of a population sample of 15-25 participants and utilizes questionnaires, interviews, and written reports from the participant during the initial stages of the psychology/psychiatry sessions. Although the above listed approaches to the qualitative design are effective, the phenomenological approach is most fit for this study. According to Moustakas (1994), the phenomenological researcher is involved in the real world that the phenomenon is taking place, is aware of various insights and understandings that bring the patterns and relationships into a whole unit, and is active in expanding the experience and synthesizing the data to where other researchers can have the opportunity to replicate the study (Simon & Goes, 2011).
Definition of Terms
This section of the proposal defines the terminologies, themes, concepts, phenomenon, and other definitions in which such terms might not be familiaror clearto the common educated person when reading this study. The purpose of this section is to clarify the terms that are used in this study. Definitions are essentials in providing a common understanding to the majority of readers. In order to start any project or a study, the researchers need to pay close attention to the definition of terms so that the readers will clarification on these terms when reading the study. The following terms were used operationally in this study:
Maternity. It is the time during pregnancy and shortly after childbirth. Also, maternity is a section at the hospital dedicated to women during labor and delivery. In some countries like New Zealand, women can get maternity paid leave up to one year (Ravenswood & Kennedy, 2012). In this research, maternity phase would be the first trimester in which most women undergo physical and emotional changes. In this research, the focus would be on maternal stress during this term as to how much stress mothers experienced during the first term of pregnancy.
Trimester. A period of three months as such: trimester one, two and three. It is used in pregnancy as long as the duration of the trimester lasts. The researcher used the first trimester to tackle the phenomenon due to the fact that the women will undergo many emotional and hormonal changes during this time. It lasts from 1-12 weeks. Pregnant women will experience a stop in their menstrual cycle as an indication of being pregnant. Craving for food, morning sickness, vomiting, constipation, tender nipples and other symptoms (Pregnancy, 2016).
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).In this study, the researcher will examine children at the kindergarten-age in which they were already diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by the Kinghaven Counseling Group clinic. The study will focus on behaviors such as: attention problems, impulsivity, fidgeting during class work, short attention span, and stress and anxiety related problems (Nomura &Chemtob, 2009). Exhibiting inattentiveness, lack of concentration and other categories of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) would be discussed thoroughly in this study.
Questionnaire. It is a set of written or printed questions handed to the participants to extract the needed information for the study. The open-ended questions are usually easy to understand and they assist the researcher in collecting the needed data, analyzing these data and making sure to minimize biases in research (Friborg&Rosenvinge, 2014).
Intensity of Stress. The intensity of the stress is one of the themes that the researcher will investigate and explore in this research. Intensity measures how significant the stress was on the mothers during maternity (Ayers, Bond, Bertullies, &Wijma, 2016).
Frequency and Exposure to Stress. Frequency is another theme to be explored in this study. It measures the occurrences of maternal exposure to stress during the first trimester (Grizenko, et al., 2012).
Duration of the Stress. Duration is another theme to be explored and investigated in this study. Duration of the stress measures how long the exposure to stress during maternity lasts (Grizenko, et al., 2012).
Severity of the Disorder. Another theme to be explored in the study. The severity measures the state of extent to the disorder of attention problems and hyperactivity disorder in these kindergarten-age children (Christian, 2015).
The Mediating Factors. This theory was formulated by Goodman and Gatib (1998). It states that the mediating factors that surround pregnant mothers have an effect on the mental status of the unborn child. The potential of having a child with symptoms of inattentiveness, hyperactivities increases when their mothers exposed to a severe stress during maternity (Satyanarayana, Lukose&Srinivasan, 2011).
Phenomenological Method. The phenomenological approach will support the qualitative methodology in the study as phenomenological analyses will allow the use of creative synthesis to show patterns and relationships in the chosen themes. It will also allow for the reflective actions and to expand the understanding of the lived experience of the participants (Moustakas, 1994).
| Criterion*
(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| Definitions of Terms
This section defines the study constructs and provides a common understanding of the technical terms, exclusive jargon, variables, phenomena, concepts, and sundry terminology used within the scope of the study. Terms are defined in lay language and in the context in which they are used within the study. (Each definition may be a few sentences to a paragraph.) |
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| Defines any words that may be unknown to a lay person (words with unusual or ambiguous meanings or technical terms) from the research or literature. | 3
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2, there are a lot of terms still missing. And you need to define the main ones like intensity,exposure. ADHD, maternal stress events, scales on measure and all major parts of the phenomenon. | 2 | 2 |
| Defines the variables for a quantitative study or the phenomena for a qualitative study from the research or literature. | 2 | |||
| Definitions are supported with citations from scholarly sources. | 3 done | 2, make each major concept supports by empirical supports. | 2 | 2 |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 3
Done |
2, its improving. | 2 | 2 |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: | ||||
Assumptions, Limitations, Delimitations
This section identifies the assumptions and specifies the limitations, as well as the delimitations of this study. An assumption is a self-evident truth that the researcher comprehends, otherwise, the study would be irrelevant. For example, there are many things that are out of the researcher’s control, yet they are needed to be part of the assumption category. If the researcher is conducting a study over the importance of curriculum of art in middle school courses, there is an underlying assumption that art is import for the students’ cognitive skills and creativities.
Another example is conducting a survey. The underlying assumption is that this sample will represent the larger population hence the participants will answer truthfully and honestly. Leedy and Ormrod (2010) stated, “Assumptions are so basic that, without them, the research problem itself could not exist” (p.62). The following assumptions were present in this study:
- It is assumed that questionnaire participants in this study were not deceptive with their answers, and that the participants answered questions honestly and to the best of their abilities. For example, the participants in this research will be acknowledged that the identity will be anonyms at the highest level of confidentiality. They have the freedom of pulling themselves out of the research at any time that they wish to draw with no consequences. The questions will get to the heart of the research question and problem statement (Simon, 2011). Although prior studies did investigate the proposed phenomenon, but this particular phenomenon will be investigated from the approach of analyzing the themes of frequency and duration of the stress, intensity of the exposure to stress, the maternal first trimester and the intensity of the disorder itself.
- It is assumed that this study is an accurate representation of the current situation in Houston, Texas. This study will use the random sampling as a representation of the population at that area (Shingarpure& Xing, 2014). The sample will enable the researcher to conduct the study with the minimal amount of biases. The sample will be between 15-25 participants. This randomized sample will represent the population of mothers from different backgrounds and cultures whom experienced mild-severe exposure to stress during maternity and had children diagnosed prior with attention and anxiety related issues.
Limitations are things that the researcher has no control over, such as biases in research.Delimitations are things which the researcher has control over, such as location of the study. The following limitations/delimitations were present in this study:
- The participants of mothers in this study may lack to remember/ retrieve the important information about their situation during first trimester. Or, in some cases, the participants will exaggerate in reporting data and other details in which were not relevant to the proposed problem statement. Since this study is a qualitative method utilizing the questionnaire technique, the participants might attribute the positive events and their outcomes to themselves and the negative events and their outcomes to other external factors (Scheele, Mihov, Schwederski, Maier, &Hurlemann, 2013).
- The questionnaire of mothers, as participants in this study, whom were exposed to mild-severe stress and anxiety during their first trimester would be limited to the randomly selected numbers of patients at the Kinghaven Counseling Group (Thygesen&Ersbøll, 2014).The researcher of this study is interested in examining how theexposure to stress during pregnancy has to do with the development of attention problems and hyperactivity disorder children. Additionally, the researcher experienced some episodic of stress during pregnancy and the child developed attention and anxiety related problems. Moreover, the researcher wants to improve and acknowledge the significance of taking care of mothers emotionally and physically during maternity. Other delimitation of the study would be the type of tools that will be used to collect data. The researcher of this study delimits the data inquiry into open-ended questions. This might be lengthy for some mothers with children due to time constraint.
The potential generalization of the study findings based on these limitations and delimitations would be sufficient when the researcher made an analysis through logical use of scholarly reviewed articles, logical explanation of the data collected, an in-depth reading of the answers, and many article related to this research and other similar research within the same scope of the research question. This will not only enhance the validity of the data, but it will enhance the criteria, the standards, and the level of the research carried by the researcher. Most importantly, when reading this research and the articles listed in, the readers will be able to understand the study, comprehend the information provided and can interpret the results that fit their situation in terms of maternal anxiety and the development of attention and hyperactivity difficulties in their children. This will be a good opportunity for other researchers to replicate the study if needed (Lindner &Wingenbach, 2002).
Summary and Organization of the Remainder of the Study
The key points of Chapter 1 would be the focus of exploring the phenomenon of mothers’ exposure to stress during maternity and the development of stress and anxiety related problems in their children as early as kindergarten-age.According to Geller (2004), pregnancy often causes anxiety and stress among women in instances of unplanned pregnancy. Thus far, the fetus will adapt physiologically to these changes that their mothers experienced during the developmental stage and will have an effect of attention related problems during kindergarten stage (Lefmann, T, and Comb-Orme, 2014). Another important key factor the proposal is exploring isthe themes of the phenomenon. These themes are the frequency of exposure to stress during maternity, the duration and the intensity of the stress, the trimester of pregnancy, and the severity of the attention problems in children. A high stress level associated with smoking during maternity was a significant factor to observe attention problems and hyperactivity disorder in their children and other behavioral problems relevant to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Thakur et al., 2013).
Chapter 2 will follow in presenting the related peer reviewscholarly articles on maternal stress and the development of attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-age children. This chapter will present the line of research that other previous studies presented on the same topic. It will describe and evaluate the studies that present the theoretical framework as the usage of instruments, measures, method and the themes for further analysis and synthesis. Chapter 2 will not only discuss the previous research on similar topic presented in this proposal, but it will critique the literature reviewed articles, showing both the main foundation points for the dissertation and the interpretation of the results. Chapter 2will be served as a framework for the foundation of this proposal.
Chapter 3 will describe the methodology, research design, and procedure for this investigation. It is very important to be clear and precise when explaining the elements and themes that were explored earlier in Chapter 1. For instance, in this section, the researcher needs to clarify the purpose of the study along with the research design focusing on issues of validity and citing its strengths and weaknesses. There is a section in this chapter covering the targeted population and the number of participants. The researcher will acquire how the data will be collected and analyzed and then what will the outcome be when drawing a conclusion.
Chapter 4 provides a line of elements about the purpose of the research, how the data will be collected and interpreted. For example, the qualitative approach is the chosen methodological approach to collect the data from the randomly chosen sample of participants at the Kinghaven Counseling Clinic. The results in this Chapter will be presented to the reader in both written and graphic summary. Chapter 5 is an interpretation and discussion of the results, as it relates to the existing body of research related to the dissertation topic. For the proposal,the researcher is anticipating to provide a timeline of one year for completing the research and writing up the dissertation (Silinda&Brubacher, 2016).
| Criterion*
(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| Chapter 1 Summaryand Organization of the remainder of the study
This section summarizes the key points of Chapter 1 and provides supporting citations for those key points. It then provides a transition discussion to Chapter 2 followed by a description of the remaining chapters. The Proposal, but not the Dissertation, provides a timeline for completing the research and dissertation. (Minimum one to two pages) |
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| Summarizes key points presented in Chapter 1. | 3
Done |
2, the summary is pretty good. I think the summary of ch1 problem can become more narrow. But the ch. 2 and ch. 3 is getting more clear. | 2 | 2 |
| Provides citations from scholarly sources to support key points. | 3 done | 2, keep adding the scholarly supports to every major step forward and jsutification. | 2 | 2 |
| Describes the remaining Chapters and provides a transition discussion to Chapter 2. For proposal only, a timeline for completing the research and dissertation is provided. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| The Chapter is correctly formatted to dissertation template using the Word Style Tool and APA standards. Writing is free of mechanical errors. | 3 done | 2, getting there. | 2 | 2 |
| All research presented in the Chapter is scholarly, topic-related, and obtained from highly respected academic, professional, original sources. In-text citations are accurate, correctly cited, and included in the reference page according to APA standards. | 3 done | 2, needs more | 2 | 2 |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 3
done |
2, yes much better. And more clear writing. | 2 | 2 |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: So alignment now that you have some Method person critique you have to align and explain the reasoning for the study. You actually have to summarize the Ch. 3 approach and not just use the large labels. You have to give the fine details. And this is not open ended, it is not randomized, and it is not in depth interviews. You want a scale on questions related to stress and perceptions, and you can take the mean of the scale 1-7. You have to justify this with research. Dr. L. | ||||
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Introduction
Inattentiveness, hyperactivity issues and anxiety related problems in kindergarten age children might have some correlation with maternal exposure to stress during the first trimester of pregnancy (Dunkel and Tanner, 2012). This dissertation manuscript is intended to investigate the phenomenon of the possible relationship between mothers’ exposure to mild-severe stress during maternityand the potential development of anxiety and attention related difficulties in their children as early as kindergarten-age. This section will expand further on the themes of intensity of stress women exposed to during maternity, the first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and the duration of the stress and lastly the severity of the child’s Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).It would create an acknowledgment of how the exposure to severe types of stress during the first trimester of pregnancy would increase the potential of having a child exhibiting the characteristics of inattentiveness, hyperactivity issues, and other mental disorders.Chapter 2 will be organized into the introduction section, the background of the study, theoretical foundation, review of the literature and the summary section.
The phenomenological approach of the qualitative method was used in this study. The literature was surveyed through the use of online libraries including journals, online books, scholarly reviewed articles and other approved websites. According to Bryman (2012), it is an essential tool to know the type of literature review the students will conduct during the writing up of their dissertation. There are two kinds of reviews: systematic reviews and narrative reviews. Both are beneficial to the quality of the writing. However; the narrative reviews will relate much to the theory that is being studied and outlined through the examination of other literature reviews on the same topic (p.91).The keywords in which were used to locate articles and journals were the following: maternal stress and attention problems, ADHD in children and its causes, children’s short attention span and mother’ first trimester stress, pregnancy during the attack of 9/11th, attention and anxiety related problems in children and maternal anxiety, what is ADHD in kindergarten-age children ?, is it possible to have a child with attention and hyperactivity problems when the mother of the child was exposed to severe stress during pregnancy? What is the severity of stress during maternity? And many other keywords were used in the search engine to locate scholarly and articles similar to the researcher’s topic of this dissertation.
The qualitative method was the choice of inquiry in this research. The qualitative method is an approach for exploring and understanding the meaning of individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human phenomenon (Creswell, 2014). The qualitative method would provide the opportunity to survey the participants in this study using the open-ended questions. The two research questions were related to the problem statement. In research question number one: it investigated the five themes of intensity of stress women exposed to during maternity, trimester, frequency and the duration of the stress and lastly the severity of the child’s disorder. It explored how these five themes associated with the development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-age children. The second research question: it was asking about the relationship between mothers’ exposure to mild-to-severe stress during the first trimester, frequency and duration of the stress, and the severity of the child’s disorder and the high possible appearance of attention and anxiety related problems in terms of inattentive and other behavioral issues in kindergarten-age children.
Background
Research indicates that when mothers experience any type of severe form of stress during the early stages of pregnancy will have a child with attention and hyperactivity problems. According to Su, Liang, Yuan, Olsen, Cnattingius, & Li (2016), the prenatal stress following the maternal bereavement due to the death of a sibling, a child, or a spouse would have a significant contribution over the development of many psychiatric diseases in offspring, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia, autism spectrum, eating disorder and suicide attempts during adolescent. Especially, severe stress during the first trimester of pregnancy would lead into the appearance of attention issues and hyperactivity problems at a younger age (Para.3).
The problem of attention troubles and anxiety related issues in children as evident as kindergarten-age has evolved historically. Scientists have sought the effects of depression and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy as well as the period following birth. Many evidence base shows that there are certain aspects of fetal development, especially behavioral and emotional outcomes were directly affected by the amount of stress the mother experiences during pregnancy. Studies to investigate the emotional well-being of mothers during pregnancy and the effect over the psychological development of their unborn child are still ongoing. Dunkel and Tanner (2012) pointed that depression, stress, and anxiety during pregnancy are risk factors for some undesirable outcomes for both the mothers and the children. The researchers have pointed out that anxiety has been found to be positively correlated with shorter gestation, which consequently has negative implications for the child outcomes. Brunton (2013) also pointed that maternal stress leads to the creation of a suboptimal in utero environment and that the available evidence shows that this always has detrimental consequences on the pregnancy. According to Brunton (2013), the suboptimal in the utero environment also has long-term and various developmental effects on the offspring. The various peer- reviewed articles and empirical studies that were mentioned in this proposal tackled this phenomenon from different approaches utilizing the qualitative method when collecting data. While technologies have emerged to be part of the learning process, it has become evident that the dynamic in any kindergarten classroom has evolved and changed out of the traditional way of teaching children at this age. However, inattentiveness and hyperactivities will prevent the students from learning (Schetter and Tanner, 2012).
The current body of literature has studied the mother’s exposure to stress during any stage of pregnancy and/ or studied the selected topic by focusing on other factors than this proposal such as the smoke effects during maternity over the life span of children, drugs abuse during pregnancy, and the issues of mental depression through the studies of environmental effects. Larsson, Sariaslan, Langstrom, D’Onofrio& Lichtenstein, (2014) investigated the effect of smoking during pregnancy. The population was 1616 women from different backgrounds and educational level. It was divided into groups that smoked during the first trimester and the other half smoked throughout the pregnancy terms. Smoking during any phase of pregnancy will enhance the attention issues in children, especially when mothers smoked throughout pregnancy. While other research studies focused on smoking during pregnancy, this research would investigate the exposure to severe stress during the first trimester and how it wouldhave an effect on the child’s emotional-being. This proposal would be aligned with other research and experiments in filling in the gaps by explaining this phenomenon from different approaches using the themes of trimester, intensity of stress, frequency, duration and the child’s disorders.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| CHAPTER 2 INTRODUCTION (TO THE CHAPTER)AND BACKGROUND (TO THE PROBLEM)
This section describes the overall topic to be investigated, outlines the approach taken for the literature review, and argues the evolution of the problem based on the “gap” or “need” defined in the literature from its origination to its current form. (Minimum two to three pages) |
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| Introduction: Provides an orienting paragraph so the reader knows what the literature review will address. | X | 3 | ||
| Introduction: Describes how the chapter will be organized (including the specific sections and subsections). | X | 3 | ||
| Introduction: Describes how the literature was surveyed so the reader can evaluate thoroughness of the review. This includes search terms and databases used. | 2, its still missing more scholarship but will benefit from the scoring from the learner and the CE | X | 2 | |
| Background: Discusses how the problem has evolved historically into its current form. | 2, not yet | X | 2 | |
| Background: Describes the “gap” or “need” defined in the current literature and how it leads to the creation of the topic and problem statement for the study. | 3, almost but needs many other studies on stress and maternity and stress and behavior of kingerdarden. | X | 2 | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | X | 2 | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:Agree with Dr. L commnets. | ||||
Theoretical Foundations and/or Conceptual Framework
The theoretical foundation derives from the research-based frame work by Goodman and Gatib (1998). They were the pioneers in the research that focuses on exploring the mediating factors that mediate the relationship between maternal depression and the child’s outcome mental state. The mediating factors are the heritability of depression, exposure to negative maternal cognitions, behaviors and exposure to a stressful environment. Hence, a depressed mother who experienced one or more of the mediating factors is more likely to have a child with depression and anxiety related problems. This proposed research will examine the relation between the intensity of stress mothers were exposed to during the first trimester of pregnancy and the development of attention related problem in their children.
The researcher would utilize this theory to investigate the proposed phenomenon and fill in the gap of literature by providinga rational that explores the attention problems in children. According to Glover (2014), 10-15 % of the adverse outcome in children was related to maternal stress and anxiety. The mental health stage of pregnant women was still neglected. The proposed study would further examine this relationship through the additional factors stated by the theory of Goodman and Gatib (1998). There is a high possibility in which relates the increased appearance of attention related problems, anxiety, and hyperactivity issues with the maternal stress and anxiety during to the first trimester of pregnancy.
A study by Judith et al. (2011) investigating depression and anxiety during maternity (a sample of 300 women)would be considered risk factors effecting the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in their children. The main aim of this study was not only to explore the relation between maternal stress and attention related problems in their children, but also to explain the importance of providing behavioral therapy for those diagnosed pregnant women in preventing or, at least, minimizingthe psychosocial problems in their children. The study yielded some tangible results as how cognitive theory has an impact over the mental state of women during pregnancy. During the first trimester, women were given a self-report questionnaire to document their level of depression and anxiety and then they will have to carry on the documentation throughout their pregnancy. Once the child was delivered, the parent would have to document the behavior of the child until age 18 months. The data were assessed using the total problem scale of the child behavior checklist 1.5-5 years (Judith et al., 2011). Judith et al.’s review (2011) provides support for the researcher’s study in stating that the mothers’ exposure to stress during pregnancy was related to development of attention difficulties and hyperactivity issues in their children.
The following themes will emerge as this research develops and the open-ended questions analyzed the intensity of the stress exposure that mothers experienced during maternity, the frequency of the exposure to the stress factor, and the duration of that stress, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder. These factors would be filling the gap of the existing literature regarding the proposed topic since no other research design has explored this phenomenon through this angle.
The proposed research questions aligned with the mediating factor of exposure to a stressful environment. The pregnant woman, who was experiencing a stressful environment that ranges from mild-severe stress type would be more likely to experience having a child with the categories of anxiety related problems and attention difficulties. According to Wang & Dix (2015), mothers’ early depressive state has a high probable rate in having a child that will have cognition capabilities issues and social difficulties as early as first grade. Thus far, the students who exhibit such isolation behavior will have hard time coping with school environment and will face challenges as such attention and anxiety related problems. Parents of the diagnosed children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) should be more concerned about their kindergarten children when they attend school to achieve their goals and readiness programs (Barnard, Stevens, & Albright, 2015).
The factors in the mediating model have evolved to be studied separately when conducting a research that explore the mental state of women during maternity and the high association between that exposed state to stress and the development of attention and hyperactivity issues in their children as early as kindergarten-age. Many studies have used this model to show the connection between the maternal mental status and the psychological outcome of their children. According to Goodman et al.(2011), research has shown that there are risky chances among women who were exposed at some point during pregnancy to high volume of depression, stress, and anxiety to be more likely to have a child with mental and behavior problems and other disorders.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| theoretical foundationsand/or conceptual framework
This section identifies the theory(ies) or model(s) that provide the foundation for the research. This section should present the theory(ies) or models(s) and explain how the problem under investigation relates to the theory(ies) or model(s). The theory(ies) or models(s) guide the research questions and justify what is being measured (variables) as well as how those variables are related (quantitative) or the phenomena being investigated (qualitative). (Minimum two to three pages) |
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| Identifies a model(s) or theory(ies) from seminal source(s) that provide a reasonable conceptual framework or theoretical foundation to use in developing the research questions, identifying variables/phenomena, and selecting data collection instruments. | X | 2 Further development on the actual theory needs to be done.. | ||
| Accurately cites the appropriate seminal source(s) for each theory or model. | X | 2 | ||
| Includes a cogent discussion/synthesis of the theory or model and justifies the theoretical foundation/framework as relevant to the study. Connects the study directly to the theory and describes how the study will add or extend the theory or model. | X | 2 See first comment. It is really difficult to evaluate this without a complete explanation of this theory | ||
| Builds a logical argument of how the research questions directly align to the theoretical foundation for the study. | X | 2 see above comment | ||
| Reflects a deep understanding of the foundational, historical, research relevant to the theoretical foundation/framework. | X | 2 see above comments | ||
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | X | 2 | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: This is underdeveloped, and therefore not scored. Can you please summarize according to the needs of the template and check the structure ? Dr. L. | ||||
Review of the Literature
The topic of this research study was to investigate the phenomenon of maternal exposure to mild-severe stress during the first trimester of pregnancy and the potential of developing attention and anxiety related problems and hyperactivity issues in their children as early as kindergarten-age. Maternal stress during pregnancy, its effects on pregnancy outcomes as well as the development of children/offspring has etiological relevance in both humans and animals. Research in animal studies offer evidence that associates maternal emotional and psychological well-being with the offspring later development. The use of animals has allowed scientists to induce stress responses reliably through a variety of experimental methods. According to Tyno et al. (2012), it has been established that experimental prenatal stress in rats and monkeys leads to behavioral changes in the animal offspring. These changes included an increased fear of novelty, lowered coping behavior, lowered production and binding capacity of hippocampal benzodiazepine receptor. As such, it was important to review some of the studies that utilized animals as subjects hence these studies cannot utilize human as subjects.
Evidence from Animal Studies
Amugongo and Hlusko (2014) stated that studies on the impact of maternal stress using animal models have shown that the effects vary depending on several factors, including the intensity of induced stress, age, gender of the offspring, timing of the stress in relation to the critical fetal development period as well as the strain of the experimental subject. In their study, Amugongo and Hlusko (2014) wanted to examine the impact of maternal prenatal stress on the development of Wister rats’ offsprings. Their hypothesis was that as a result of the long-term effect that the intrauterine environment normally has on the lives of individuals, the effect of maternal stress on the prenatal and postnatal growth of the offspring would be negative. In this controlled trial,Amugongo and Hlusko (2014) have used 7 male Wister rats and 28 female rats, which bred to produce 176 offsprings. The female ratswere divided into four different groups consisting of 7 dams each during pregnancy. The rats were exposed to immobilization stress at different stages of the pregnancy. The first group of rats was exposed to the stress from day 1 to 7 of the pregnancy, the second group from day 8 to 14, and the third group from day 15 to 21. The last group of pregnant rats was the control group, and it was not exposed to stress. In their findings, Amugongo and Hlusko (2014) reported that compared to the rats exposed to stress, the cortisol hormone levels were relatively low in the animals that were part of the control group. They also reported that the consumption of food was relatively low in stressed animals compared to controls. Despite the animals in the first and second group gaining less weight during pregnancy, their litters were larger than those in the third and control groups.
Another study by Boersma and Tamashiro (2015) examining the individual differences in the impact of exposure to prenatal stress in rodents. They further stated that the exposure to chronic stress during adulthood often has dreadful consequences, and these effects become more severe if the exposure happens during gestation or early childhood development. However, Boersma and Tamashiro (2015) were quick to point out that individual differences exist, with some people emerging as more vulnerable than others, who were relatively resistant to these effects. They reported that unlike studies that utilize human subjects, those that incorporate animal models allow for better control of numerous underlying factors, thus offer a better approach to understanding the underlying mechanism of prenatal stress exposure as well as how it affects offsprings. According to Boersma and Tamashiro (2015), the rodent models also supported the association between prenatal stress exposure and affective disorders in offsprings. They pointed out that previous studies using rodents and which incorporated behavioral tests meant to evaluate depression-like phenotypes have shown that prenatally stressed rats become inactive and move less, an indication of higher levels of depression. Boersma and Tamashiro (2015) argued that despite most studies reporting a clear effect of prenatal stress exposure on the phenotype, some studies have revealed the existence of large variations among individuals within the populations under investigation. They postulated that these individual differences were common in studies utilizing rodent models in where the rodents have been selectively bred for certain traits. According to Boersma and Tamashiro (2015), studies that utilized rats selectively bred for low and high anxiety traits showed that those bred for high anxiety traits became less anxious after exposure to prenatal stress while those bred for low anxiety became more anxious. They also indicated that rats bred for low novelty seeking behavior exhibited less anxiety compared to controls while those bred for high novelty seeking behavior were less affected by exposure to prenatal stress. Boersma and Tamashiro (2015) concluded by stating that these findings were a clear indication that prenatal stress exposure may have varying effects on the mother as well as offsprings, with the genetic background of a person being the main determining factor.
Gudsnuk and Champagne (2013) stated that variation in social experiences as well as animal models of early-life stress have made a significant contribution to the understanding of how the development of the brain is affected by the environment. In their systematic review, the researchers discussed some of the studies that have utilized laboratory rodents, which have shown that there is an association between the prenatal stress experiences, maternal care, maternal separation, abusive caregiving, adult social stress, juvenile social housing and variation in DNA methylation as well as the modification of histone. According to Gudsnuk and Champagne (2013), the findings from these models indicated that the experiences of stress have the potential to induce neuroendocrine effects, which consequently have a direct influence on reproductive success, stress responses, cognitive ability, and social behavior. They pointed out that previous studies using rodents induced stress effects in several ways, including exposure to loud noise, physical restraints, predator odors, manipulation of the social environment as well as exposure to bright light. They reported that the studies using rodent models have shown that the earlier the timing of the stressors and the more varied they are, the more significant the impact of prenatal exposure to stress on the offspring becomes. They pointed out that it is widely believed that there is a strong link between the mechanism of prenatal stress effects and fetal exposure to maternal corticosterone that is stress induced.
Zucchi et al. (2013) pointed out that the gestational stage is a period characterized by increased vulnerability to diseases that might have terrible implications for the fetal and maternal health. They pointed out that exposure to stress during this period often represents a powerful influencing factor as far as the mental health of the mother and the plasticity as well as the development of the offspring’s brain is concerned. In this study, Zucchi et al. (2013) sought to show that through microRNA regulation, fetal transcriptome reacts to prenatal stress. The researchers utilized Pregnant Long-Evans rats that were exposed to induced stress between day 12 and 18 of the gestational period. They reported that the induced stress led to the disruption of parturient maternal behavior as well as characteristic brain miRNA profiles in the dams as well as the puppies. According to Zucchi et al. (2013), these findings show that exposure to prenatal stress leads to the modification of epigenetic signatures associated with diseases during important periods of the development of the fetal brain.
Van den Hove et al. (2014) explored that prenatal stress exposure has the potential of predisposing subjects to psychopathology development in later stages of their lives. In their study, they sought to establish the impact of exposure to unpredictable chronic mild stress on Sprague-Dawley male and female rats. They stated that in both male and female rats, prenatal stress has led to the development of more anxiety-like behavior in male rats only. The researchers stated that they exposed both rats to prenatal stress and unpredictable chronic mild stress while at the same time increasing the intake of sucrose among males exposed to prenatal stress and reducing the sucrose intake in the female rats. They reported that it was only among the male rats that Hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal reactivity axis was affected. Higher levels of plasma corticosterone were also recorded among the males after prenatal stress exposure. The researchers also reported that the introduction of chronic mild stress had a normalizing impact on the prenatal stress on the elevated zero maze behavior together with the secretion of basal and stress-induced plasma corticosterone. Van den Hove et al. (2014) concluded that exposing Sprague-Dawley rats to prenatal maternal stress increases a variety of depression and anxiety-related neuroendocrine and behavioral changes. They also conclude that prenatal stress exposure leads to alterations in the functions and immunoreactivity of serotonin and tryptophan hydroxylase 2.
Jensen Peña, Monk and Champagne (2012) also pointed that maternal exposure to stress during pregnancy has been found to lead to significant changes in the neurodevelopment of offsprings. They stated that higher levels of maternal glucocorticoids were likely to be the most important mediating factor in bringing about these changes. According to Jensen Peña, Monk and Champagne (2012), the effect of maternal glucocorticoids was buffered by Placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 in a process that involves the conversion of cortisol to inactive metabolites. In their study, Jensen Peña, Monk and Champagne (2012) utilize Long-Evans rats to investigate how the exposure to prenatal stress affects 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase mRNA in the fetal brain as well as theplacenta. The rats were exposed to chronic restraint stress between the 14th and 20th days of pregnancy. In their findings, the researchers point out that prenatal stress was found to be positively correlated with a significant fall in HSD11B2 mRNA, higher levels of DNA methyltransferase DNMT3a mRNA as well as higher levels of DNA methylation at certain CpG sites, but within the gene promoter of type HSD11B2. Jensen Peña, Monk and Champagne (2012) reported varying levels of these elements in the fetal hypothalamus and fetal cortex. They concluded that DNA methylation was the main mechanism through which HSD11B2 gene expression is altered by prenatal stress. According to Jensen Peña, Monk and Champagne (2012), the results show that epigenetic effects following exposure to prenatal stress are tissue-specific, and this raises the possibility of making use of the epigenetic status of theplacenta to tell the changes in the offspring’s brain.
Yum et al. (2012) investigated the correlation between prenatal stress and the development of spasms in offsprings. In their experimental study, Yum et al. (2012) utilized timed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to establish whether exposing the rats to prenatal restraint stress on day 15 of the gestational period would result in higher chances of the occurrence of developmental- specific spasms among infants on postnatal day 15. The researchers induced the spasms using N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and reported that exposure to prenatal stress led to a significant acceleration of the onset of the spasms as well as the number of the spasms. They also reported that delivering an acute dose of adrenocorticotropic hormone did not have any impact, while long-term adrenocorticotropic hormone pretreatment led to a significant reduction in the number of spasms as well as an increase in the latency to onset. They reported that these findings show that the exposure to severe gestational stress among mothers increases the risk for the development of infantile spasms among children. According to Yum et al.(2012), their study supports the idea that pregnant mothers should be provided with extra care during pregnancy as a means of minimizing stress and its dire consequences for the infants in which this proposal was trying to shed some light over this phenomenon.
Scholars argue that the non-human primate studies, which are also undertaken under carefully controlled lab environments, provide a significant link between human studies and rodent research. Meyer and Hamel (2014) conducted a systematic review with the aim of investigating how the models of non-human primates were relevant to human psychopathology and endocrine dysfunction. They pointed out that most of the studies on stress in non-human primates have not made use ofreactive scope models or allostasis, a factor that led them to utilize classical terminologies such as stress response and stressors. According to Meyer and Hamel (2014), a single exposure to severe levels of stress has the potential of altering subsequent stress responses as evidenced in numerous post-traumatic stress disorder cases and experimental animal literature. They pointed out that, despite this fact, most studies that have used primates to investigate the long-term effects of stress, utilized models of repeated or persistent stressor exposure. However, Meyer and Hamel (2014) were quick to point out that studies on stress in non-human primates makes it possible to model a variety of stress exposure features that were also applicable to the human population, meaning that the respective studies can be used to examine the mechanism that underlies the role of stress in human endocrine dysfunction and the accompanying psychopathology.
Berghänel et al. (2016) examined the prenatal stress effects in Assamese macaque. They describe this species of animals as the wild long-livedprimate, which has evolved over the years to live in an environment that is unpredictable. They pointed out that research has established that prenatal maternal stress affects offspring phenotype in a wide range of animal species. However, scholars were yet to establish clearly whether the respective effects were evolutionarily adaptive. According to Berghänel et al. (2016), their decision to investigate Assamese macaque was informed by the fact that these primates live in an environment that is unpredictable and where external predictive adaptive responses are most likely less advantageous. Their study was carried out between May 2011 and December 2012 in Thailand’s Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary. In their findings, Berghänel et al. (2016) pointed that there was a negative correlation between prenatal maternal stress and prenatal food availability. The lack of food resulted in theaccelerated growth of the offsprings. However, the fast growth rate was accompanied by reduced immune function as well as decelerated motor skill adaptation among the offsprings.
Converse et al. (2013) argued that, given the similarity that exists in terms of complex social and cognitive behaviors as well as brain structures and biological processes of stress reactions, non-human primate offers an excellent model upon which prenatal stress with experimental control can be studied. In this study, Converse et al. (2013) sought to find out the impact of prenatal stress exposure and alcohol consumption during pregnancy in adult offsprings of non-human primates. The researchers experimentally exposed pregnant rhesus monkeys to moderate level alcohol and daily mild stressors in a bid to establish their effects on offsprings’brain and behavior. To study the adult offsprings, Converse et al. (2013) used non-invasive in vivo molecular imaging to examine whether prenatal exposure to alcohol and mild stress led to alteration of dopamine transporter availability. They pointed out that their decision to analyze dopamine transporter availability was motivated by the important role that the dopamine system played in regulating several psychological elements such as mood, motivation, affect, and reward responses. The animals under examination were placed into four study groups, namely moderate dose prenatal alcohol exposure, daily prenatal stress, a combination of alcohol and prenatal stress exposure as well as a control group. In their results, Converse et al. (2013) pointed that prenatal stress alone resulted in a 15% increase in binding in the striatum, a 13% increase in binding in the head of the caudate as well as a 17% more binding in the putamen compared to monkeys that were not exposed to prenatal stress. They also reported that there was a negative correlation between striatal binding and habitual to repeated tactile simulation. However, the correlation between striatal binding and tactile responsivity was a positive one. Converse et al. (2013) concluded that maternal prenatal stress exposure in rhesus monkeys results in increased striatal DAT availability in adult offsprings. They stated that this increase is associated with behavioral traits that reflect tactile hyper-responsivity, a state closely linked to behavioral problems in children.
Themes of the Research Questions
Education, as early as in kindergarten grade, is a very important phase that enables the students to achieve goals and maintain success in life. In any kindergarten classroom where the actual academia and curriculum activities start, the students were expected to pay attention at the teacher and the materials provided in the class. However, both shorter attention span and hyperactivities might be barriers against learning. This would lead into a draw back from the path of progression in kindergarten classrooms into a regression stage where the materials were not grasped completely. The quality of information and knowledge taught in these kindergarten classes would assist to instill the seeds of growth in subjects of math and English. Students with attention and hyperactivity issues would have major problems in comprehension, poor writing skills, and thiswould be carried later in life and would have an effect over academic development (Kent et al., 2014).
Class et al. (2014) had explored the theme of trimester during the prenatal stage of pregnancy, the first trimester and the third trimester as well. The study was conducted using Swedish registers of the largest population-based study of 738144 children born 1992-2000 childhood outcomes wise. The study defined the maternal stress as the death of a first-degree relative during the first trimester and the third trimester. The researchers wanted to explore this phenomenon with the possible development of many mental and psychopathology disorder. The results were that mothers who were exposed to such a stressful event during the first trimester tended to have children characterized with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, and attempted suicide. There was an estimated association between maternal stress during the third trimester and having children with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and completed suicide. Although this research did not cover all the themes to explore as in this proposal, but this research by Class et al. (2014) was an indication to the association between a possible relation between maternal exposure to severe stress during the first trimester and the potential to have a child with attention and hyperactivity issues.
Entringer (2013) reported that growing evidence from human studies showed that the experiences of severe stress during pregnancy have negative effects on the developing fetus, often resulting in increased susceptibility to a number of developmental and psychological disorders. He stated that the endocrine and immune glands, which are closely associated with stress, play a central role in cellular growth as well as differentiation during intrauterine development. As such, changes in these systems during gestation often lead to alterations in the function and structure of the child’s brain as well as the peripheral physiological systems. Entringer (2013) argued that the environmental and social conditions during pregnancy shape the different aspects of fetal development as well as the subsequent health outcomes of the child well-being up to adulthood. He pointed that a multilevel approach that incorporates cellular and molecular studies would help to inform the development of diagnostics as well as intervention strategies for at-risk individuals. Schetter and Tanner (2012)reported that human studies have revealed that prenatal stress and anxiety were positively correlatedwithseveral negative outcomes, which include shorter gestation, lower birth weight as well as neuro-developmental disorders during childhood.
Dipietro (2012) also discussed the implications of human studies as far as the effects of maternal stress during pregnancy are concerned. He pointed out that the past few years have seen increased scholarly interest in the extent to which prenatal exposures such as environmental factors and maternal psychological factors affect child outcomes. Dipietro (2012) pointed that studies that have been conducted so far with the aim of linking child developmental outcomes to maternal exposure to psychological distress were subject to several interpretive challenges as far as the inference of causality is concerned. He mentioned some of these challenges as such the potential contribution of other factors such as genetic factors and the correlation between prenatal and postnatal exposures as an example of the respective challenges. In the article, Dipietro (2012) provided an in-depth discussion of these andother interpretive challenges, suggesting an additional approach that focuses on fetalneurobehaviorfor identifying possible mechanisms that may help mediate the maternal psychological well-being and the development of fetal nervous systems.
O’Donnell et al. (2012) sought to establish whether maternal prenatal anxiety was correlated with cortisol metabolizing enzyme, down-regulation of placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2). They stated that there was a close association between increased maternal anxiety during pregnancy and a higher risk of neuro-developmental outcomes for children. In this study, O’Donnell et al. (2012) recruited mothers who had a day before undergoing elective caesarean. The researchers tested the mothers for anxiety and depression using the Spielberger Trait and State Anxiety and the Edinburgh Depression self-rating scales. They then collected the mothers’ placentae and aliquots for analysis after the participants had delivered. In their findings, they reported that there was a negative correlation between Prenatal Trait anxiety and placental 11β-HSD2 mRNA expression for both the female and male fetuses. They postulated that their findings show that there was a strong association between raised maternal anxiety and the down-regulation of placental 11β-HSD2, an indication that the exposure to maternal cortisol maybe among the key mechanisms through which fetal programming using prenatal stress occurs.
A study by Clavarino et al. (2010) examined the association between maternal anxiety and the child’s attention issues at age 5 and 14 years. Other previous studies explored the maternal mental depression during the different stages of pregnancy. The method was to assess the birth cohort of 3,982 individuals born in Brisbane between 1981 and 1983. Additionally, the self-reported measures of maternal anxiety were assessed at four time points. The data were collected using the 7-item anxiety scale from the Delusion Symptoms-State Inventory: State of Anxiety and Depression (DSSI/SAD; Bedford &Foulds, 1977, 1978). This scale was designed to detect psychopathology and it has a high validity measures (Clavarino et al., 2010). The results of this study indicated that children of mothers exposed to some form of anxiety during or after pregnancy were at a greater risk of experiencing attention difficulties at age 5 and 14. They concluded that the maternal anxiety does appear to increase the likelihood of having a child with attention and anxiety related problems and a dual focus programs are needed for both the mother and the child.
Bendiksen et al. (2015) investigated the association between pre and postnatal maternal symptoms of distress and the children’s symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder (CD), and Anxiety in a population consisted of N=1,195 from the Norwegian mother and child cohort study. The maternal stress was assessed by Symptoms Checklist (SCL-5) and the Poisson regression was used to examine the association. The investigators found that the mid-gestational maternal distress significantly increased the average number of child symptoms (3.8%) for ADHD associated with (8.7%) for anxiety. The higher the distress level these mothers faced during maternity, the higher percentages of experiencing ADHD and other disorders of anxiety in children. The data were collected through the usage of the MoBa questionnaire at 36 months. Limitations in previous preschool studies about ADHD, ODD, CD, and Anxiety do not provide the sufficient amount of assessment of these disorders and the maternal distress. The conclusion of this study was that the maternal distress during the mid-gestation stage has an association with the appearance of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), behavioral, and emotional symptoms in preschool children (Bendiksen et al., 2015).
Another important theme in which the research questions had presented in this study is the duration of mother’s exposure to mild-severe stress during maternity specifically during the first trimester. It was very important to note that the duration, as to how long the exposure to stress lasts, could play another major role in this study. For example, the researchers Entringer, Buss,&Wadhwa (2015) had revisited their own contributions to the field of literature that discusse the maternal exposure to stress and its long- lasting effect on the child’s health and disease susceptibility. The researchers revisited their published work on this topic and assessed the results of some of their reviewed literature. They found that during the gestation stage, the mother should be careful not to be part of any stressful event. The high amount of stress would trigger some serious physical and mental complications that would be evident in children as attention problems and anxiety related issues. Additionally, the weight gain during pregnancy along with the exposure to stress could be another indicator to show the association between weight gain in mothers during pregnancy and the appearance of attention and hyperactivity related issues.
George et al. (2014)explored the meta- analytic finding of the relation between maternal prenatal stress, anxiety and the child cognitive outcome. This article explored that there were different studies examining the exposure to stress during and after pregnancy and how they affected the development of cognition abilities of the child. However, George et al. (2014) did not find a solid proof as the learning deficiencies were due to the mother’s exposure to stress during the first stage of pregnancy since most of these studies were done prior through the inconsistencies of the self-reports from a sample of mothers during the data collection procedure or were done over rodents. Moreover, this article is looking at the theme of first trimester differently than the researcher of this dissertation manuscript. George et al. (2014) suggested through the various studies, that the exposure to severe stress as in hurricane in which residents of mothers would have to be relocated or sheltered in different places during the first trimester, would have minimal effect over the child’s learning development in comparison when these mothers were affected by the stress during the second and the third stages of pregnancy (George et al. p.3, 2014).
Glover (2014) examines the possible underlying biological mechanisms that result in prenatal stress exposure having an impact on the fetus and the child. He pointed out that a mother’s exposure to stress causing or depressing and anxious situations during pregnancy has led to increase risk of the child developing emotional problems, impaired cognitive development, and signs of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He argued that despite other factors such as postnatal care and genetics playing a significant role in the development of these outcomes, the available evidence showed that prenatal stress also played a substantial role. He argued that prenatal depression and anxiety has been shown to contribute between 10 and 15% of the emotional and behavioral outcomes in children. He stated that scientists have just, but started to explore the mechanisms that underlie these changes. Glover (2014) discussed some of the mediating factors that have been identified in previous studies, and one of them was fetal exposure to cortisol. Other possible mediators, which have been identified in previous studies, include Cytokines and Serotonin (Gleason & Humphreys, 2016; Clark, Espy & Wakschlag, 2016; Pearl, Weiss & Stein, 2015).
Glover and Hill (2012) investigated the sex differences with regard to prenatal effects and its effects on behavioral programming in children. They pointed out that animal studies have presented strong evidence that prenatal stress exposure had varying effects on female and male offsprings. According to Glover and Hill (2012), prenatal stress generally leads to increase depression, anxiety, and stress responses in females more than in males. They argued that compared to females, males were more likely to exhibit memory and learning limitations as a result of prenatal stress exposure. They stated that very few studies using human subjects have attempted to explore the gender differences as far as the prenatal stress exposure and its effects on psychopathology are concerned. They added that scholars are yet to understand fully the mediating mechanisms that resulted in the respective gender differences following exposure to prenatal stress. However, Glover and Hill (2012) pointed out that the evidence from studies using animal models support the notion that the sex of the fetus determines the differences in placental function. They suggested that evolutionary factors may be used to explain the sex differences with regard to the long-term implications of prenatal stress.
Zohsel et al. (2013) examined the impact of maternal prenatal stress exposure on children’s antisocial behavior. They pointed out that previous studies have linked maternal distress during pregnancy to aggressive behavior in children, with the effects interpreted as a “fetal programming.” In this cohort study, Zohsel et al. (2013) assessed prenatal maternal stress and its implications on infants using self-reports that the participating mothers had to complete three months after childbirth. The impact of prenatal stress exposure was assessed when the children were at age 8, 11 and 15 years old. The mothers were required to rate the externalizing behavior of their children. This was accompanied by a diagnosis of conduct behavior as well as oppositional defiant behavior as per the DSM-IV. In their findings, Zohsel et al. (2013) pointed out those children whose mothers were exposed to higher levels of prenatal stress and who had one or two DRD4 7r alleles ended up being at a higher risk of a diagnosis of conduct behavioroppositional defiant behavior.
Grizenko et al. (2012) explored previous studies that have suggested that there was a positive correlation between maternal stress during pregnancy and the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) during childhood. In this study, Grizenko’s et al. (2012) was to examine the impact of gene-environment interaction on children’s ADHD Symptomatology following prenatal stress exposure. Using an intra-familial study design, the researchers recruited 142 children aged between 6 and 12 years. They also genotyped 305 children for DAT1 and DRD4, and the main objective was to analyze gene-environment interactions. Grizenko et al. (2012) utilized the Child Behavior Checklist as well as the Conners’ Global Index for Parents to assess symptom severity among the children. To capture the nature of the stressful events during pregnancy, the researchers utilized the Kinney Medical and Gynecological Questionnaire. They reported that mothers were more likely to have undergone stressful experiences for children who presented with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms compared to those who did not. Regarding the larger sample that was genotyped for DAT1 and DRD4, Grizenko et al. (2012) reported that DRD4 7/7 genotype was found to the positively correlated with higher symptom severity in cases of higher prenatal stress exposure.
In another study, Grizenko et al. (2015) sought to find out how maternal stress during pregnancy affects Intelligence Quotient (IQ) as well as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptomatology. They stated that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)was a significant behavioral disorder that affects between 8 to 12 percent of school-aged children. Grizenko et al. (2015) argued that the disorder’s characteristics include hyperactivity, difficulty with sustained attention, and impulsivity. They pointed out that these traits often result in negative effects in children with regard to the social functioning, academic performance as well as occupational achievement in later stages of life. In their investigation, Grizenko et al. (2015) recruited children aged between 6 and 12 years old, all diagnosed with ADHD. They used the WISC III to assess the children’s IQ, the Child Behavior Checklist as well as the Connor’s Global Index for Parents and Teachers to assess the symptom severity. From the findings, Grizenko et al. (2015) drew the conclusion that, for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), prenatal stress exposure has limited impact on IQ, but a significant impact on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptomatology.
Ekinci et al. (2016) exploredthe themes of depression and anxiety during maternity and the child’s disorder severity, and the potential risk of having a child with categories of inattentiveness and hyperactivities as comorbid symptoms with children of epilepsy diagnosis. Their aim was to make a comparison between groups of children with epilepsy and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and children with other chronic illnesses. The introduction of their research focused on the importance of self-esteem and self-concept in these children of the two different groups. They asked the questions of how these children value and perceive their self-image and character. The sample consisted of 52 patients with uncomplicated epilepsy and 28 healthy controls. They used the tools of Piers-Harris 2 Self-Concept Scale, Family Assessment Device (FAD); DSM-IV based ADHD rating scale, Beck Depression Inventory and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The results were not significantly different among the other measurements in terms of poorer scores on freedom anxiety and self-esteem among the children diagnosed with epilepsy and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)combined. Unlike the other group of children with other chronic symptoms, they exhibited higher scores on self-esteem and self-concept. They concluded their study in showing that poor self-image in children with epilepsy and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)was associated with negative family structure, mother’s emotional symptoms that might increase the potential of inattentiveness in children with epilepsy.
Many previous studies along with this research were trying to investigate this phenomenon of the potential of having a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms and the maternal exposure to severe stress during maternity. Maternal depression and anxiety symptoms have been associated to a certain degree with attention problems and hyperactivity disorders in children around age five. However, Wolford et al. (2016) had discovered that these symptoms would start to appear around age 3.5 years. They indicated that it was still unknown if feeling depressed anxious, worried, and sad throughout the three stages of pregnancy was more harmful to the increase symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)than feeling depressed at certain stage (Wolford et al., 2016). Their study was conducted out of a sample of 2312 mother-child, 50% were boys. These mothers were instructed to report their symptoms weekly and they were monitored and their children up to age 3.5 years. The results of the study suggested that higher Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms were associated with higher reports of depression by their mothers. Overall, the symptoms increased when the exposure to depression took place throughout the three stage of pregnancy.
Measurements and Instruments
Although the researcher of this proposal has found various articles and researches differ in their perspectives and their themes tackling why children behave certain ways in schools with an association of inattentiveness, anxiety and impulsivity, but the researcher did not find enough evidence that explores the association between the maternal stress and the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children particularly around age five. This proposal shouldexamine this association through the examining of other research on this topic or similar to it. Moller, Nikolic, Majdandzic, & Bogels (2016) had explored the parental and the maternal affect on the child’s anxiety. They decided to have a combination of studying the maternal anxiety during the third trimester and its affect over the gestation stage. And then they studied the affect of parenting style whether authoritative or linen style with their child(s). Their research was a meta-analysis study to investigate the father’-mother’s parenting style behavior in terms of (over control, overprotection, challenging parenting) and the anxiety precursors in children in terms of (anger issues, shyness, temperament). They conducted two meta-analysis, one for mothers and one for fathers from a sample of 5728 mothers and children and 1019 fathers and children. The measurement of parenting included the following: questionnaire, observation, interview, and other potential moderators. The measurement method of child anxiety was coded as questionnaire, observation, home visits and other lab settings. As stated by these authors, one of the problems with meta-analysis was that the study would not be published when the results came insignificant as the sample in this research did not represent the entire population. They concluded that the standard deviation for maternal affect on the child’s anxiety had less effect and the standard deviation for parental affect has more significance on the child’s anxiety.
Methodological Approach
Antenatal anxiety has received less attention than depression in maternal mental health research (Akiki, Avison, Speechley, & Campbell, 2016). Women suffer from anxiety more than men (Gravel & Beland, 2005). The current state of research into antenatal is lacking the understanding of the determinants of anxiety during pregnancy. The research study by Akiki, Avison, Speechley, & Campbell (2016) had gathered data using the cross-sectional methodology. They obtained the information from the Prenatal Health Project which consisted of a population of 2357 women in London, Ontario. Their hypothesis was that “feelings about the pregnancy” would be the determinant of antenatal state anxiety after controlling other covariates (para.2). The results of their research suggested the significance of scoring high under the categories of low self-esteem, feeling unhappy or unsure about pregnancy, lack of social support during the second gestational stage might increase the negative child outcomes in terms of intelligence, low-self esteem, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
A replicated study by Castro et al. (2016) explored the cohort of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children between the ages of 2-19 years old. The participants of mothers were identified based on the child’s date of birth, surname, insurance identifiers, and hospital records. In order for the researchers to be consistent with the prior reports, they identified the single cases of mothers who havechildren with and without the disorder to randomly select one of these siblings. Their research had yielded to the focus of the age of the mother and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), ASD risk associated with antidepressant exposure before and during pregnancy. The results of their study showed that the potential of having an ASD child increases when there is an increase in the mother’s age and it decreases when the mothers are younger. Additionally, they examined the association between ASD and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) during and after maternal exposure to antidepressant medication. They used the Regression Model to show such a relation. However, no significance was detected indicating the relation between the above disorders and the exposure to antidepressant medicine. However, they suggested the need to investigate further the phenomenon of the existed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)as a cohort with another disorder.
Summary
The information gathered in this literature review section served as backbone information on maternal exposure to severe stress during the first trimester and the development of attention and anxiety related problems in kindergarten children around age 5. This section not only analyzed the association between maternal depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children; it had looked at the various studies that were conducted prior on pregnant mothers with exposure to stress/depression and their children. As part of this section, the researcher used the theory of the mediating factors by Goodman and Gatib (1998) as the key theory to frame the theoretical foundation for this study. Their theory matched the key components of this research in terms of the increase risk of having a child with attention and hyperactivity difficulties when the mother of this child was exposed to high form of stress and depression during maternity.
In Chapter 3, a case for the study in terms of research design and rigor was built, and it formulated the research questions based on the gaps in the literature. The main focus of this research was to investigate if mothers’ exposure to severe stress during maternity might cause the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as early as kindergarten age. Chapter 3 defined the formulated argument for the choice of a qualitative approach. Qualitative methodology allows the researcher to study behavior in natural environment which the behavior tool place (Creswell, 2009). Furthermore, it would provide a description of the sources of data, population, study location, and data collection plan. Additionally, it would include ethical considerations, limitations and data analysis plan.
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| Chapter 2 Summary
This section restates what was written in Chapter 2 and provides supporting citations for key points. The summary section reflects that the learner has done his/her “due diligence” to become well-read on the topic and can conduct a study that will add to the existing body of research and knowledge on the topic. It synthesizes the information from the chapter to define the “gaps” in or “identified research needs” arising from the literature, the theory(ies) or model(s) to provide the foundation for the study, the problem statement, the primary research question, the methodology, the design, the variables or phenomena, the data collection instruments or sources, and the population to be studied. It then provides a transition discussion to Chapter 3. (Minimum one to two pages) |
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| Synthesizes the information from all of the prior sections in the Literature Review using it to define the key strategic points for the research. | 1, inc | X | I would like the lit. review section addressed before I assess the summary. | |
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| Summarizes key points in Chapter 2 and transitions into Chapter 3. | inc | X | ||
| The Chapter is correctly formatted to dissertation template using the Word Style Tool and APA standards. Writing is free of mechanical errors. | inc | X | ||
| All research presented in the Chapter is scholarly, topic-related, and obtained from highly respected, academic, professional, original sources. In-text citations are accurate, correctly cited and included in the reference page according to APA standards. |
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| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | inc | X | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: HUGE GAP here. This is missing the min. number of scholarship needed to complete it. Please keep doing the literature review. Dr. L.
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Chapter 3: Methodology
Introduction
The primary focus of this qualitative study was to explain therelationship between maternal exposure to severe stress during the first trimester and the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. The chosen research approach was a qualitative phenomenological study. Phenomenology is the study of the live experiences or the point of views by the participants in a study (Moustakas, 1994).The chosen sample from Kinghavenclinic was already diagnosed with this disorder, so it would be the parents’ role to fill in the questionnairesduring the sessions of psychology and/or psychiatry appointments.
This study should answer the proposed research questions as to how do the intensity levels of mothers’ exposure to stress during first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and duration of stress, and severity of the child’s disorders associate with the development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-age children. The population affected from this research study would be a group of mothers (15-25 participants) whose children were exhibiting the symptoms of stress and anxiety disorders. A study by Van den Bergh and Marcoen (2004) to investigate whether or not the exposure to frequent levels of anxiety would enhance the child’s susceptibility to childhood mental disorders, represented by varieties of attention problems and hyperactivity issues. Following certain criteria by the authors of the study, 86 Caucasian women accepted the case study and multiple data were collected through a thorough questionnaire regarding their stress level during 12 weeks and 22 weeks of pregnancy without any reports of complications of drug abuse history. They found that the exposure to a high level of intense stress and anxiety for a long period of time were risk factors for developing attention and anxiety related problems in children as early as kindergarten-age.
Another study by Rodriguez and Bohlin (2005) confirmed why this proposed research needed to be conducted. The stress during pregnancy can predict symptoms related to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in seven years old boys. This study was collected using a sample of (n=290) mothers and (n=208) respected teachers. Using the multiple regression analysis, it depicted that stress was an independently related with the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Rodriguez &Bohlin, 2005).There is a considerable evidence that maternal stress is associated with the behavioral disturbances in children (Ramchandani, Richter, Norris& Stein, 2010).
Studies have been conducted in examining the different root causes to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) from several aspects. These aspects include, but not limited to, genetics, intolerance to foods/food additives, molds, fungi, chemical substances from toys, teeth fillings, and maternal exposure to stress and anxiety (Kidd, 2011).
Children with attention and hyperactivity disorders experience great difficulties in schools. This can lead to many problematic outcomes such as exclusion from class work, poor achievements, grade repetitions, as well as behavioral difficulties (Martin, 2014). Therefore, it was important to investigate the relation between a mother’s stress level during pregnancy and the child’s development of attention and hyperactivity problems. It was anticipated that the results from this research might provide a clearer explanation of how these mental emotions that mothers go through might have an effect over the healthy development their children.
The target population of this study was mothers (15-25) of children with attention and hyperactivity related problems. The questionnairemeasured the elements of stress frequency, intensity, duration that mothers were exposed to during maternity, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder. The questionnaire focused on the participants’ viewpoints about their pregnancy experiences in terms of open-ended questions with a space to write their reflective journals.Questionnaires, interviews, and self-written reports would be suitable sources of data for this type of research. These documents would assist the researcher in answering the formulated research questions in which this study was based on. These types of data collections would ask questions regarding the frequency of the stress in which mothers were exposed to during maternity, the intensity of the stress, the duration of the stress mothers experienced during pregnancy, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
In order to start any research, the following should be done first:obtain approval from the Institution Review Board (IRB) at Grand Canyon University, reference the Institution Review Board (IRB) at Grand Canyon University (GCU) handbook for guidance in terms of data collection procedures, present the intended study to the authorized personnel at Kinghaven clinic, obtain an initial informed consent from Kinghaven Clinic and further documentations required from the Kinghaven Counseling Group, itself, and data collection will initiate with proper documentation provided to the participants, such as consent forms, anonymity reassurance, and the questionnaire. Data will be analyzed through descriptive measures and then reviewed per the measurements of the frequency, intensity, duration of stress that mothers were exposed to during maternity, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
This chapter provides a rational for choosing the qualitative method as the choice of research in this study. The phenomenological approach was used to investigate the phenomenon of studying the mothers’ exposure to severe stress during the first trimester of pregnancy and the potential to have a child with attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties. The data collection, sampling, and data source were also included.
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| CHAPTER 3 INTRODUCTION
This section includes both a restatement of the research focus and the Purpose Statement for the study from Chapter 1 to reintroduce reader to the need for the study and a description of contents of the chapter. (Minimum two to three paragraphs) |
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| The Introduction summarizes the research focus, and the purpose statement to reintroduce the reader to the study. This section also outlines the expectations for this chapter. | 2 | X | ||
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | X | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: This is underdeveloped still and needs editing after the main alignment on the instruments and methods are clarified. You will have to narrow down and change the language, as it is not a open ended interview, it is not focus group data collection and it is not journal data collection. These things have to be changed. So, add a scale and only focus on your variables, but find a study that can use a nomial scale on stress, and it’s a structured questionnaire and the Purpose statement is Purpose = Method + Design + Problem statement + sample + design. And when you do this correctly you need to adapt this area. | ||||
Statement of the Problem
It isnot known to what extent the frequent exposure to stress during maternity affects the development of attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in children as early as kindergarten-age. This dissertation manuscript intended to examine the relationship between mothers’ exposure to mild-to-severe stress during the first trimester of their pregnancy and the potential development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity disorders in their children, as expressed as early as kindergarten-age.
The hypothesis that the exposure to stress or anxiety during pregnancy predicts behavioral problems in children is not new. However, other studies existed to investigate this phenomenon from different approaches and different research methods. But the gap was still present due to the limited numbers of studies that required the availability of human participants as such in small sample size. This research anticipated in explaining and investigating this phenomenon. For example, an article by O’Connor, Heron, Golding, & Glover (2003) explored the number of studies that tackled the issues of behavioral problems in children with their mothers’ exposure to stress and anxiety during pregnancy. The researchers explored the number of research on animals in which indicated that the severe stress during pregnancy had damaging effects on the behavioral and the neuromotor skills development in offspring. This information that would be gathered from the data will help the researcher understand these behavioral issues by these diagnosed children. The impact of this research is that it may provide an extended knowledge on this subject to assist both mothers and their children.
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Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This section restates the problem for the convenience of the reader. This section is a summary of the related section in Chapter 1. (Minimum one to two paragraphs) |
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| The research problem is restated for the convenience of the reader. This section aligns to the related section in Chapter 1. | 2, this will adjust according to methodology. If it is quantifiable data, then use hypothesis. Otherwise, use phenomenon. | 2 | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | 2 | X | |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:
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Research Question(s) or Hypotheses
The phenomenon to investigate in this dissertation manuscript was to explore the relationship between mothers’ exposure to stress during pregnancy and the development of mild-to-severe anxiety, attention difficulties, and hyperactivities in children, as early as kindergarten-age. Categories such as inattentiveness, disruptive behaviors and defying authorities are academically unacceptable and will have an impact on the child’s progress at schools. Qualitative research methods focus on a central theme to investigate and tend to ask research questions to define the proposed phenomenon under investigation (Creswell, 2009).
The following would be the research questions in which the researcher of this phenomenon was trying to investigate using the participants (15-25) from the Kinghaven Counseling Group clinic:The first research question was: (R1) How does the intensity levels of mothers’ exposure to stress during first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and duration of stress, and severity of the child’s disorders associate with the development of anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their kindergarten-age children? and the second research question was: (R2) What was the relationship between mothers’ exposure to mild-to-severe stress during the first trimester of pregnancy, frequency and duration of the stress, along with the severity on the child’s disorder in relation to the high possibility of the development of mild-to-severe anxiety, attention problems and hyperactivity disorders in their children, as expressed as early as in kindergarten-age children?
The dissertation manuscript for this research uses a qualitative methodology with a phenomenological approach. Itconsisted of a population sample of 15-25 participants and was conducted at the Kinghaven Counseling Group Clinic. The qualitative methodological framework and the phenomenological approach aligned with the purpose of the study and the problem statement presented in this study because the researcher was trying to provide an understanding about the importance of having a healthy maternal state during the first trimester and minimizing the appearance of attention and anxiety related problems in children.
The study was conducted through the handed questionnaire forms to the participants at the Kinghaven clinic. The participants filled it in along with their reflected journals and memories that these mothers can recall during their pregnancies. Additionally, the researcher had conducted interview sessions with those mothers and asks instructed questions regarding their stress level during maternity.The phenomenological approach had supported this qualitative research, as phenomenological analyses allowed the use of creative synthesis to show patterns and relationships in the chosen themes. It allowed for the reflective actions and to expand the understanding of the lived experience of the participants (Moustakas, 1994).
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*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND/OR HYPOTHESES
This section restates the research question(s) and the hypotheses or phenomena and explains why the selected design is the best approach to answer the research questions. Further, it defines the variables and/or groups. The section also discusses the approaches to collecting the data to answer the research questions. This section expands on the related section in Chapter 1. (Minimum one to two pages) |
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| For a qualitative study, restates the research questions and the phenomena for the study from Chapter 1.
For a quantitative study, restates the research questions from Chapter 1, presents the matching hypotheses and operationalizes the variables. Research questions must align directly with the problem and purpose statements, |
2, this has to be adjusted based on a change in the method to quantification, or she can add a scale to a questionnaire and take means and show patterns. But her purpose statement is not sound yet, and the alignment is still needed. It is not open ended or focus group data collection. And there is problem with that and the scale. | 2 | X | |
| Describes the nature and sources of necessary data to answer the research questions (primary versus secondary data, specific people, institutional archives, Internet open sources, etc.).
For a quantitative study, the section describes the instrument(s) or data source(s) to collect the data for each and every variable. For a qualitative study, The section describes the instrument(s) or data source(s) to collect the data to answer each research question. |
2, rewrite needed and development needed. And you have to explain that it is quasi clinical, so that means that you have a group of children that are diagnosed, but you want to look at mom’s perceived stress and you might want to detail the questionnaire, as this is not open ended and then use a scale and quantify this. And look for patterns in the mothers of a group already ill. You have to explain each idea, frequency and intensity and the scale. And get rid of the wrong stuff. | 1 – more information is needed and Creswell cannot be used. | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | 2 | X | |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:
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Research Methodology
The research approach that was chosen for the purpose of this study was a qualitative methodology. The phenomenon to investigate was the maternal exposure to severe stress and the development of attention problems and hyperactivity troubles in children as early as kindergarten-age. The researcher utilized the qualitative methodology with a phenomenological approach because this approach had various types of dynamics such as case studies, open-ended questions and written self-reports(Marshall & Rossman, 2014). It was important to use qualitative-phenomenological approach in this study because it provided different interpretations from different perspectives especially when conducting a case study (Merriam, 2009). For example, researchers conducting qualitative methods can use the case study approach to relive the conditions that the participants experienced and can base their insights towards the interpretation of the results.
The rationale behind using the qualitative method as the research design to investigate this phenomenon was because the qualitative method referred to the research that produced descriptive data in which was collected from the participants in this study. Due to the nature of this research, the phenomenological approach assisted in reliving the experiences that these mothers went through during their maternity and the type of stress and anxiety during the first trimester. The qualitative design allowed the researcher to look at the subjects of mothers and children as a whole unit and interpreted the collected descriptive data based on the view points of the participants (Fine & Hancock, 2016).
Another important aspect investigating this potential relation of maternal stress and the development of attention and anxiety related problems in children was that when using other methods of research design such as the quantitative method, it would not allow the researcher to get the gathered data from the participants based on different interpretations of viewpoints. For example, when a student breaks a window inside the class, the interpretation of this incident would take place in different forms based on the previous knowledge/experience the persons had (Aveling, Gillespie &Cornish, 2015).
The expectation of using the qualitative method in seeking the exploration of the possible appearance of attention problems and hyperactivity issues in children around age five when their mothers were experiencing some form of severe stress during the first trimester of pregnancy was that this design gave a chance to the participants to explain their emotions and feelings during the time of the exposure. Also, it had allowed for further interpretations and analysis. According to Ghosh, Fisher, Preen&Holman (2016), the qualitative method was the right choice of design when the experiment took place in Australia to perceive individual’s ADHD usage of stimulants during school time. The method helped in showing how grades and school performances were important academically and was needed for the success of that particular student. Additionally, the design showed that these stimulants were still needed with cases of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in that region in Australia.
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*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This section describes the research methodology for the study (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed) and explains the rationale for selecting this particular methodology as opposed to the alternative methodologies. (Minimum one to two pages) |
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| Elaborates on the research methodology (from Chapter 1) for the study (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed). Provides the rationale for selecting the particular methodology supported by empirical studies in the research literature. Justifies why the methodology was selected as opposed to alternative methodologies. | 2 | X | ||
| Uses authoritative source(s) to justify the selected methodology. Note:Do not use introductory research textbooks (such as Creswell) to justify the research design and data analysis approach. | 1 | X | ||
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | X | |||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: If you use a qualitative, then you have to say that you are just exploring patterns and that you can use a scale and establish patterns by using a structured questionnaire and a nominal scale. And then justify this. You won’t get IRB for studies that journal or focus groups because of the time constraints. And if you say quasi-clinical, you have to focus the reader to know you have a group of mothers all share shame problems with children. So, you have to justify the approachand really decide on the data collection that is feasible. Dr. L
Your new method person is helpful and the paper is still underdeveloped. But improving and clariying
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Research Design
The specific research design of this dissertation manuscript would be the qualitative method utilizing the phenomenological approach. This design was well suited for this type of research since it dealt with the experiences of the individuals during the exposure to incidents (Simon and Goes, 2011). The purpose of this study was to explain the potentialrelation between women’s exposure to mild-severe stress during their first trimester and the potential signs of attention and anxiety related problems in their children as early as kindergarten-age. The research would take place at the Kinghaven Counseling Group clinic that deals with various types of mental illnesses among them would be counseling and treating children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The participants would be collected randomly from this clinic with a sample of (15-25).
Due to the nature of the qualitative method in which the researcher would be utilizing in-depth interviews, self-written reports, and introducing the open-ended questionnaire to the participants, the study would examine moderate-to-severe stress exposure from the mothers’ perceptions during pregnancy. This particular design allowed the participants to verbally explain their exposure to stress using their own words, vocabularies, facial gestures, alongside the body languages (Kendall et al., 2013). According to Moustakas (1994), the phenomenological researcher is involved in the real world that the phenomenon is taking place, is aware of various insights and understandings that bring the patterns and relationships into a whole unit, and is active in expanding the experience and synthesizing the data to where other researchers can have the opportunity to replicate the study.
The questionnaire would measure the exposure to stress from a mother’s point of view as in the frequency of stress, the intensity of stress, duration of the stress, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder. The open-ended questions provided more in-depth information than closed questions and allowed participants to share full thoughts regarding each question (Friborg&Rosenvinge, 2014).
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*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| RESEARCH DESIGN
This section describes in detail the specific design for the study and describes why it is the best design to collect the data to answer the research needed for the study. It explains exactly how the selected design was used to facilitate collection of data for each and every variable (for a quantitative study) or how the selected design was used to facilitate collection of data to describe the nature of the phenomena in detail (for a qualitative study). It identifies the specific instruments and data sources to be used to collect all of the different data required for the study. This section expands on the Nature of the Research Design for the Study section in Chapter 1. (Minimum one to two pages) |
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| Elaborates on the research design from Chapter 1. Provides the rationale for selecting the particular research design supported by empirical references. Justifies why the design was selected as the best approach to collect the needed data, as opposed to alternative designs. | 1, undeveloped because of narrowing down and alignment | 1 | X | |
| Describes how the specific, selected research design will be used to collect the type of data needed to answer the research questions and the specific instruments or data sources that will be used to collect this data. For quantitative studies provide the variable structure and state the unit of analysis. | 1, too broad and see prior notes. Must narrow down and do feasible data collection. Need larger size and more narrow questions and scales to help you. You can’t code journals. | 1 | X | |
| Uses authoritative source(s) to justify the design. Note:Do not use introductory research textbooks (such as Creswell) to justify the research design and data analysis approach. | 1 | 1 | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 1 | 2 | X | |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:
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Population and Sample Selection
This proposed research would be conducted at the Kinghaven Counseling Group Clinic. The target population was mothers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and would explore information on the frequency and intensity of stress exposure events during pregnancy. Furthermore; the study would examine the intensity of stress that these mothers were exposed to during maternity; frequency of this stress, duration, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder. These mothers would be centered in the Houston area, where the Kinghaven Counseling Group Clinic located.
A population sample of 15-25 participants would be used. According to Mason (2010), the sample size needs to be “large enough to capture a range of experiences but not so large as to be repetitious, and the common guiding principle is saturation” (Mason, 2010). Using a sample size of 15-25 participants would fall within the range recommended by Mason (2010) for the sample size in qualitative research. The success of a project was determined in part by the sampling. Following the procedures of quantitative sampling for a qualitative research is inefficient, as the purpose does not include counting people or opinions but rather explore the range of these opinions. This concludes that sampling in qualitative research was focused on the richness of information. The number of participants depended on the resources available and the nature of the topic. According to Marshall, the researchers should be flexible and practical in their approach when choosing sampling and that the sample size should be an adequate one that sufficiently answers the research questions (Marshall, 1996).
An open-ended questionnaire would be given to these 15-25 participants and would provide an overview of the themes of the research questions and problem statement. The participants had the freedom to express their own viewpoints regarding the emotions during the stress-related events they were exposed to during pregnancy. The Kinghaven Counseling Group staff would grant the researcher access to the weekly counseling sessions between the counselors, children diagnosed with attention and anxiety problems, and their mothers. The clinic’s staff would distribute the questionnaire amongst the participants to fill out at their own time. Once these forms are completed, they would contact the researcher to collect the forms. This study should focus on the mothers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and explore information on the intensity of stress that the mothers were exposed to during maternity, frequency of this stress, duration, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
Questionnaires, interviews, and self-written reports would be suitable sources of data for this type of research. These documents would assist the researcher in answering the formulated research questions in which this study was based on. These types of data collections asked questions regarding the frequency of the stress in which mothers were exposed to during maternity, the intensity of the stress, the duration of the stress mothers experienced during pregnancy, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| POPULATION AND SAMPLE SELECTION
This section discusses the setting, general population, target population, and study sample. The discussion of the sample includes the research terminology specific to the type of sampling for the study as well as how the sample population and final sample will be protected. This section provides a detailed description of the population and sample which were identified in the Research Design for the Study section in Chapter 1 as well as research considerations relevant to the sample and population. (Minimum one to two pages) |
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| Describes the general population (i.e., students with disabilities), target population (i.e. students with disabilities in one specific district – geographic location) and the study sample (students with disabilities in the district that participated in the study – actual study sample). | 2 | 2 | X | |
| Describes the study sample size. Provides evidence (based on the empirical research) literature that sample size is adequate for the research design and meets GCU required sample size requirements (listed in criteria below). | 2, must increase sample and narrow down tool and specify tool and justify tool | 2 | X | |
| Quantitative Sample Size Requirements:
Absolute Minimum: 50 cases or participants or 40 cases per cell. Applicable to studies that use frequencies/descriptive statistics and parametric statistical tests (t-tests, ANOVA, correlation, regression analysis)—additional requirements related to the use of certain statistical analysis procedures may increase that number. General rule of thumb on survey research = 10 subjects per survey question. An a-priori and/or post hoc Power Analysis is required to justify the study sample size based on the anticipated effect size and selected design.
Qualitative Sample Size Requirements: Case Study: Minimum 10 participants or cases; Recommended Target=20 due to attrition; minimum of 3 sources of data; must demonstrate triangulation of the data. Case study interviews may include closed-ended questions with a dominance of open-ended questions; should be no less than 30 minutes; at least 15 pages of transcribed data, single spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman. Phenomenology: 10-15 interviews; no closed ended questionnaires allowed;Interviews should be 60-90 minutes. There should be a minimum of 60 pages of transcribed data, single spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman. Descriptive: 12-15 interviews or cases with at least 3 sources of data; 30-60 pages of transcribed data, single spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman. Narrative or Grounded Theory: Minimum of 30 pages of transcribed data from interviews, open-ended questionnaire, or other data sources. 2Transcript to be 12 Point and single spaced. Studies typically have a minimum of 10-20 interviews or40-60 open-ended questionnaires. Interviews are 60-90 minutes in length. Grounded theory studies must yield a theory or model. |
2, if tool changes and becomes more streamline, then you can change the language or use description means. But you are looking for patterns, and it has to be guided. Not time for long term data collection. | 2 | X | |
| Defines and describes the sampling procedures (such as convenience, purposive, snowball, random, etc.) supported by scholarly research sources. Includes discussion of sample selection, and assignment to groups (if applicable), and strategies to account for participant attrition. | 1 | 2 | X | |
| Describes the site authorization process, confidentiality measures, study participation requirements, and geographic specifics. | 1 | 2 | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 1 | 2 | X | |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:
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Sources of Data
The researcher would have the opportunity to be part of the observational data collection and/or look at previously recorded data at Kinghaven Counseling Group. The psychologists and the psychiatrists at the Kinghaven clinic offered support and showed willingness to assist when conducting the study. Questionnaires, interviewsand self-written reports would be the primary sources of data for this type of research. Thecollected data would assist the researcher in answering the formulated research questions in which this study was based on. The following prompt questionnaire allows the freedom of opinion, a balanced approach, and the stability of avoiding bias in research.
For Mothers—please answer the following questions using 1-3 sentences, in regards to your first trimester of pregnancy:
- How would you describe your pregnancy, ranging from a very pleasant to a very difficult pregnancy?
- Were you exposed to any type of stress?
- Please describe the stress you were exposed to.
- How did this stress affect your emotional state?
- How did this stress affect your physical state?
- How severe was the stress?
- How often were you exposed to stress?
- How long did this stress last?
- How would you describe your child’s attention disorder severity?
The clinic would be helpful in recruiting the needed number of participants for the study (15-25). Mothers with children under the category of some intensity-related stress exposure during maternity and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in their children would be used as subjects. The researcher would schedule an appointment to meet with the psychiatry department at Kinghaven Counseling Group and explain the phenomenon that the researcher was trying to investigate. The phenomenon was to investigate the relationship between mothers’ exposure to stress during maternity and the possible appearance of attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties in their children. The population size would be around 15-25 mothers with their children.
The questionnaire would measure the frequency of stress exposed by those mothers, intensity of stress, duration of the stress, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder. The clinic would provide a list of anonymous names of women whose children fall into the diagnoses of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The mothers would be receiving questionnaire sheets to answer questions regarding their exposure to stress during pregnancy and how they were exposed to frequent levels of stress and anxiety during the first trimester of pregnancy.
This questionnaire wouldaddress the frequency, intensity, duration of stress in which the mother was exposed to during pregnancy, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder. The data would be analyzed based on a descriptive statistic scale ranging from 1-7. For example, if 80% of the answers show a severe exposure to stress during the first trimester, this would indicate a possible development of stress and anxiety-related disorders in their children, as proposed by the researcher of this study.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| INSTRUMENTATION OR SOURCES OF DATA
This section identifies and describes the types of data that were collected as well as the specific instruments and sources used to collect those data. For quantitative studies it also describes the specific type of scale of measurement used in an instrument or used to define the different groups. (Minimum one to three pages) |
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| Data Collection Instruments:Provides a detailed discussion of the instrumentation and data collection which includes validity and reliability of the data. Includes citations from original publications by instrument developers (and subsequent users as appropriate). | 1 | X | ||
| Data Collection Instruments: Describes the structure of each data collection instrument and data sources (tests, questionnaires, interviews, observations data bases, media, etc.). Specifies the type and level of data collected with each instrument. | X | |||
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | X | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: The student has had a first review of a first draft of the proposal from a new methods person. The scores and feedback are useful to the student and the to chair. And the issues now are alignment, justification of methods, and clarification of the tool and the protocols. There are issues with IRb and timeliness. And the data collection methods to do open ended and focus groups might not work. These sections of the paper were just introduced. And I never approve open ended. I have directed towards a nominal scale on a few factors affecting maternal stress, and those work with scales. And she has some feedback on how to adjust the study based on the feedback now of the methods person. And another thing is to stay focused on feasibility and access to the sample. Dr. L. | ||||
Validity
This dissertation manuscript investigates the phenomenon of maternal stress and child’s disorder in terms of attention difficulties and hyperactivity issues around age five. It was a qualitative design that focused on the subjects of 15-25 participants of mothers with children of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The three manners of data collection would be the use of an open-ended questionnaire, structured interview with the participants, and the self-written journals. Although more research were needed to show more validity and reliability of the use of questionnaire. However, in research, questionnaires were able to measure the proposed content to measure. For example, Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) to measure the themes of decision latitude, social support and the psychological job demand (Nehzat, Huda, &Tajuddin, 2014). The research was conducted in Malaysia as the JCQ has an English version as well as a Malay version. It included 258 Malaysian laboratory staff randomly selected for this. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of two scales wereacceptable and for social support (0.08) was good. The results suggested this type of questionnaire is reliable and valid for examining the themes of decision latitude, social support, and job strain among workers. Further studies should be done for the confirmative results of this study.
The second manner in which the researcher of this dissertation manuscript would use to collect data would be the structured interview. The researcher had the opportunity to meet with those participants at Kinghaven Counseling Group clinic. These standardized set of interview questions should be repeatedly asked in sequence from one interviewee to another. The interviewer must prepare these interview questions prior to the session. The interviewer should be kind and friendly when asking these questions without implementing his/her own opinion in the answering sheets. For example, the Clinical Diagnostic Interview (CDI) such as the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV involves asking patients direct questions about specific diagnostic criteria while relying on the support of each diagnostic criterion helps in identifying the reliability and validity of the conclusion when interpreting data based on these selected criteria (Drill, Nakash, Defife&Wesen, 2015).
Additionally, the structured interview was as important as the open-ended questionnaires and other surveys. The aim was to collect as much information as possible from the participants in accordance with the specific criteria. It was very important to ensure that the targeted population of this study do speak and comprehend the English language. Otherwise, all the documents concerning the participants should be translated into their own languages such as Spanish or German. For example, the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia (TSIA) has been translated into Dutch, German, and Italian. In order to validate the TSIA among these populations, the researcher ‘Keefer, Taylor, Parker, Inslegers, and Bagby” had established measurement equivalence across the variables of language, gender, and clinical status using differential item functioning (DIF) (Keefer, Taylor, Parker, Inslegers, &Bagby (2015). Their research consisted of 842 adults from all the language groups of English, Dutch, German, and Italian. Their findings were close to their DIF and provided support for the measurement equivalence of the TSIA and allow the researchers to reliably compare results across the four language groups, gender, and clinical status using the TSIA.
The third manner to collect data would be the self-written journals. The participants at Kinghaven were asked to write what they can remember from the events that they went through during phase one of pregnancy. The participants had the right to draw themselves from any question under the ethical consideration rule if they felt that these questions would trigger some sort of sad events that they do not wish to endure. Although these self-written journals might not align with what would the participants reported in the questionnaire. However, the researcher would treat these data with consideration to the time and effort those participants had put into writing these reflective journals. For example, in the case of investigating the validity of how accurate the students’ self report for occupational vaccinations. A total of 432 students were enrolled in this study which took place in Paris (France). Loulergue et al. (2014) explored sensitivity rates for BCG, hepatitis B and measles were over 74% and the sensitivity was below 50%. Overall, the validity of the self-reported information was relatively low which meant that checking the medical records remains the effective strategy for assessing immunization status (Loulergue et al., 2014).
The data would assess the severity of the stress those mothers exposed to during their first term of pregnancy, the duration and the frequency of the stress and then it will assess the child’s disorder. The population at the area of which Kinghaven was serving does not speak English. The researcher would request to have any document that was needed to be translated into the participant’s native language. The protocol would be followed in this research and all the needed letters, instruments, documents would be requested with permission prior to utilize from the original publisher/owner.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| VALIDITY
This section describes and defends the procedures used to determine the validity of the data collected appropriate to the methodology conducted. (Minimum two to four paragraphs or approximately one page) |
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| Quantitative Studies: Provides specific validity statistics for quantitative instruments, identifying how they were developed. Validated surveys cannot be used in part or adapted. Validated instruments borrowed by the learner must be included in the proposal/dissertation appendices as a pdf or jpeg document along withthe learner’s word file of his/her version of the instrument (whose content should be identical with that of the original pdf). NOTE:Learners should not modify or develop quantitative instruments without permission from the Director of Dissertations.
Qualitative Studies: Establishes validity to ensure the data that is collected is true and certain. Processes include collection of multiple sources of data; triangulation; member checking; quasi-statistics; review of data analysis by others; expert panel review of developed instruments; and/or practicing interviews and observations. |
1, this gets better. But is the first time you use the structured idea. Please go align this in Ch. 1 and in the summarizations | 2 | X | |
| Appendices must include copies of instruments, qualitative data collection protocols, codebooks, and permission letters from instrument authors (for validated instruments, surveys, interview guides, etc.) | 1 | 1 | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | 2 | X | |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:
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Reliability
When assessing the reliability of the manners of collecting data during a qualitative research design, it was important to note that these results of these experiments must yield into the same results each time the experiment/study was repeated. The manners of collecting data when investigating the maternal stress and the appearance of attention and anxiety related problems in kindergarten-age children were the structured interview, the open-ended questionnaires, and the self-written journals. Both the reliability and the validity may have different terminologies in qualitative and quantitative research methods. Some might argue in terms of the reliability issues of data collected using the qualitative research design. In this research, the reliability and the validity would be interpreted as the degree of definitions of truth value, applicability, consistency, and neutrality (Appleton, 1995),
The researcher of this dissertation manuscript will define the reliability of the collected data based on the truth value of the collected information. There was a confidence in using the manners of measurements when collecting data from the participants. These manners would yield the same repeated results in the future. They would measure what they initially intended to measure the themes of stress women exposed to during maternity, intensity, frequency and the duration of this stress, and the child’s disorder of ADHD. Validity and reliability go hand-in-hand, the applicability of the data should reflect the majority of the targeted population. Another important aspect in this study was the consistency and the neutrality of the researcher. Any researcher should be able to repeat this research and the analysis should yield into the same interpreted results. The neutrality represented in this research by being objective in a neutral stance. The researcher should present the interview questions in a friendly manner without forcing or directing the answers in a bias way. The researcher’s opinion should not be part of the answering theme and it should not reflect the perception of the researcher.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| RELIABILITY
This section describes and defends the procedures used to determine the reliability of the data collected appropriate to the methodology conducted. (Minimum two to four paragraphs or approximately one page) |
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| Quantitative Studies: Provides specific reliability statistics for quantitative instruments, identifying how the statistics were developed. Explains specific approaches on how reliability will be addressed for qualitative data collection approaches.
Qualitative Studies: Establishes consistency and repeatability of data collection through in-depth documented methodology; detailed interview/observation/data collection protocols and guides; creation of research data-base; and/or use of triangulation. |
Inc until aligned | 2 | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | Inc until aligned | 2 | X | |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:
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Data Collection and Management
The target population of this study was mothers of children with attention and hyperactivity related problems. The sample size in this study would be approximately 15-25 participants. The manners of questions would measure the elements of stress frequency, intensity, duration that mothers were exposed to during maternity, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder. The questions would focus on the participants’ viewpoints about their pregnancy experiences in terms of pleasant, less stressful than expected, more stressful than expected, or unpleasant.
Structured interview, open-ended questionnaire and self-written journals would be suitable sources of data for this type of research. These documents would assist the researcher in answering the formulated research questions in which this study was based on. These types of data collections would explore with the parents of children of attention and hyperactivity related problems questions regarding the frequency of the stress in which mothers were exposed to during maternity, the intensity of the stress, the duration of the stress mothers experienced during pregnancy, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
The Institution Review Board (IRB) at Grand Canyon University (GCU) that is registered with The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Human Research Protections ensures that the research meets the highest ethical standards and the human subjects are protected under the federal regulations and laws of research (Grand Canyon University, 2012). The first step in starting this research was to get the proper documentation, such as consent forms, authorizations to conduct research, and permission to observe participants in the study and/or speak with the participants being studied. According to the Institution Review Board (IRB) at Grand Canyon University (GCU), the following were the steps to be taken while conducting a research involving the use of human subjects:
- Obtain approval from the Institution Review Board (IRB) at Grand Canyon University (GCU) before initiating the research.
- Reference the Institution Review Board (IRB) at Grand Canyon University (GCU) handbook for guidance in terms of data collection procedures.
- Present the intended study to the authorized personnel at Kinghaven Clinic.
- Obtain an initial informed consent from Kinghaven Clinic and further documentations required from the Kinghaven Counseling Group, itself.
- The Kinghaven Counseling Group staff would distribute consent forms to the mothers of identified children with ADHD.
- Once the consent forms were filled out and singed, the researcher proceeded to the next step.
- The Kinghaven Counseling Group would facilitate a date and time in which the researcher would visit the site and observe the participants and their children on their assigned session dates with their corresponding psychologists/counselors.For a given time during the session, the researcher would interview the mothers of these children for an overview of their perspective of stress exposureduring their first trimester of pregnancy.
- Kinghaven Counseling Group staff will distribute the questionnaire forms to the participants.
- Kinghaven Counseling Group staff would then provide the researcher with documents stating the severity of the children with diagnosed attention problems and hyperactivity difficulties.
- Data collection would initiate with proper documentation provided to the participants, such as consent forms, anonymity reassurance, and the questionnaire.
- Data would be analyzed and reviewed per the measurements of the frequency, intensity, duration of stress that mothers were exposed to during maternity, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder.
- The analyzed data would be categorized into specified groups and represented through graphical patterns to depict the relationship of stress in which mothers were exposed to during maternity and the emergence of anxiety, attention, and hyperactivity related problems in their corresponding children.
- After the completion of the research in its entirety, all used data and backup would be collected and stored away in a safe that should be accessible for 6 years.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| DATA COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT
This section details the entirety of the process used to collect the data. It describes each step of the data collection process in such a way that another researcher could replicate the study. (Minimum one to three pages) |
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| Quantitative Studies: Describes the procedures for the actual data collection that would allow replication of the study by another researcher, including how each instrument or data source was used, how and where data were collected, andrecorded. Includes a linear sequence of actions or step-by-step of procedures used to carry out all the major steps for data collection. Includes a workflow and corresponding timeline, presenting a logical, sequential, and transparent protocol for data collection that would allow another researcher to replicate the study.
Qualitative Studies:Provides detailed description of data collection process that would allow replication of the study by another researcher, including all sources of data and methods used, such as interviews, member checking, observations, surveys, and expert panel review. Note: The collected data must be sufficient in breadth and depth to answer the research question(s) and interpreted and presented correctly, by theme, research question and/or instrument. |
1 | X | ||
| Describes the procedures for obtaining informed consent and for protecting the rights and well-being of the study sample participants. | X | |||
| Describes (for both paper-based and electronic data) the data management procedures adopted to maintain data securely, including the length of time data will be kept, where it will be kept, and how it will be destroyed. | 2 | X | ||
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | X | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:
You have to give the detail on the manner of collection data and this is too vague still. Again, it is all structured and scaled, but you have to justify the other methods if you can really complete them. The group is not going to give your journals, probably not. |
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Data Analysis Procedures
The data analysis for the study started with the following steps:obtained approval from the Institution Review Board (IRB) at Grand Canyon University (GCU) before initiating the research, referenced the Institution Review Board (IRB) at Grand Canyon University (GCU) handbook for guidance in terms of data collection procedures, presented the intended study to the authorized personnel at Kinghaven Clinic, obtained an initial informed consent from Kinghaven Clinic and further documentations required from the Kinghaven Counseling Group, and data collection would initiate with proper documentation provided to the participants, such as consent forms, anonymity reassurance, and the questionnaire. Data would then be analyzed and reviewed per the measurements of the frequency, intensity, duration of stress that mothers were exposed to during maternity, trimester of pregnancy, and severity of the child’s disorder. The analyzed data would be categorized into specified groups and represented through graphical patterns to depict the relationship of stress in which mothers were exposed to during maternity and the emergence of anxiety, attention, and hyperactivity related problems in their corresponding children.
After the completion of the research in its entirety, all used data and backup would be collected and stored away in a safe place that would be accessible to the researcher at any time for 6 years. The analyzed data and results would assist in the expanded knowledge of literature to the relationship of stress that mothers were exposed to during maternity and the attention and hyperactivity related problems in their children.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURES
This section describes how the data were collected for each variable or group (quantitative study) or for each research question (qualitative study). It describes the type of data analyzed, identifying the descriptive, thematic, inferential, and/or non-statistical analyses. This section demonstrates that the research analysis is aligned to the specific research design. (Minimum one to three pages) |
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| Lists the research question(s). Also includes the null and alternative hypotheses for quantitative studies. | inc | 2 | X | |
| Describes in detail the relevant data collected for each stated research question and/or each variable within each hypothesis (if applicable). | 1, inc | 1 | X | |
| Describes in detail the data management practice including how the raw data was organized and prepared for analysis, i.e., ID matching of respondents who may respond to more than one survey/instrument, coding/recoding of variables, treatment of missing values, scoring, calculations, etc. | 1, inc | 2 | X | |
| What: Describes, in detail, statistical and non-statistical analysis to be used and procedures used to conduct the data analysis. | 1, inc | 1 | X | |
| Why: Provides the justification for each of the (statistical and non-statistical) data analysis procedures used in the study. | 1 | X | ||
| How: Demonstrates how the statistical and non-statistical data analysis techniques align with the research questions/design. | 1 | X | ||
| Quantitative Analysis – states the level of statistical significance for each test as appropriate, and describes tests of assumptions for each statistical test.
Qualitative Analysis – evidence of qualitative analysis approach, such as coding and theming process, must be completely described and include the analysis /interpretation process. |
1, still need justification for interpretation and quantification. | 1 | X | |
| Provides evidence that quantity and quality of data is sufficient to answer the research questions. This must be present in this section or in an appendix including data samples. | 1, need to adapt and organize and justify the tool | 1 | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | 2 | X | |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:
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Ethical Considerations
All research directed by Grand Canyon University’s staff, faculty and student must have the approval of the Institutional Review Board before starting the research. The participants would sign a consent form that would explain the proposed use of the data, voluntary involvement, benefits and their rightsto privacy after the proposal was approved by Grand Canyon University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). Student investigators and student research assistants must adhere to the guidelines and principles set forth by the U.S. federal regulations and institutional policies and procedures when participating in or conducting human subject’s research (Grand Canyon University, 2012).
The researcher’s proposed study involved human subjects; therefore the researcher completed the required training in research ethics in following the Belmont Principles. The Belmont Report differentiates between research and practices, as well as defines the basic ethical principles. The Belmont Principles comprises of respecting participants, beneficence, and justice embodied in the report. Respecting the participants includes the acknowledgement of the ability of the person to make their own decisions, as well as providing protection for those with lesser ability from possible manipulation or coercion. The beneficence aspect of the Belmont Principles stresses that the research shall not harm any individual and the participant benefits are increased. Lastly, the justice principle is defined by the prohibition of burden inflicted onto the participant, in addition to the equal treatment of the individuals (Grand Canyon University, 2012).
The potential ethical issues surrounding the research included but are not limited to the language barrier. The questionnaire, the in-depth self-report writing, and the verbal communication between the researcher and the participants might be somewhat difficult due to the efficiency in the English language and the literacy level. The participants might find it complicated to express their self-report thoughts if he/she is having troubles communicating in the English language or not able to express what they would anticipate to express through the usage of simple language.
Another ethical issue was the stress and discomfort in which the research might have caused to the participants. The research questionnaire and other tools would be used to collect data would require the mothers who were exposed to mild-severe-stress during first trimester to recall the stress that they faced during that time and frequency of the stress, the duration, the intensity, and the trimester. This might have caused some uneasiness to the participants and might have caused some withdrawal from completing the data on the designated time (Abbas & Court, 2013).
The identity of the participants in a qualitative design was protected through the provided written consent forums and other confidentiality documents provided to them. The researcher was clear with the participants that any sensitive identity questions would not be asked during the questionnaire process. Questions such as names, addresses, e-mails were not part of the data collections and would not be part of the research (Thomson et al., 2005).
After World War II and the horrendous act of using human subjects in the concentration camps by the Nazis, law medicine, sociology, psychology, biomedical or any other institute that would utilize the need to have human beings as subjects in research, it was needed to have a clear consent form to the participants. According to American Psychological Association- Code of Ethics Item 3, theparticipants should receive a written consent prior to starting the research. The participants would gain the knowledge of maintaining full control of releasing personal information as well as the high terms of confidentiality level in between all the persons involved in the research (Fatigante&Orletti, (2014).
The human subject agreement would be obtained through written consent by the participants. Otherwise, the researcher could not conduct the research without the children’s full approval (American Psychological Association, 2010). Another issue that the researcher should take into consideration was the confidentiality matter. Confidentiality and consent forms by all the researchers are a priority for the sake of protecting the researcher(s), the participants, and the institutethat adopted the research. Another issue that the researcher considered was the cultural differences in terms of communication and body/facial gestures. According to Corey, Corey, Corey and Allanan (2014), “Americans tend to be more open about their personal lives than other people in other cultures. Additionally, Americans tend to have an eye contact during conversation while other cultures might consider this an inappropriate manner.” (Corey, Corey, Corey and Allanan, 2014). Taking these factors into consideration would maximize the efficiency of obtaining the results through positive and effective communication.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
This section discusses the potential ethical issues surrounding the research as well as how human subjects and data will be protected. It identifies how any potential ethical issues have been and will be addressed. (Minimum three to four paragraphs or approximately one page) |
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| Provides a discussion of ethical issues related to the study and the sample population of interest. | 2 | X | ||
| Describes the procedures for obtaining informed consent and for protecting the rights and well-being of the study sample participants. | 2 | X | ||
| Addresses anonymity, confidentiality, privacy, strategies to prevent coercion, and any potential conflict of interest. | 2 | X | ||
| Describes the data management procedures adopted to store and maintain paper and electronic data securely, including the length of time data will be kept, where it will be kept, and how it will be destroyed.
Note:Learners are required to securely maintain and have access to raw data/records for a minimum of three years. If asked by AQR reviewer or CDS representative, learner must provide all evidence of data including source data, Excel files, interview transcripts, evidence of coding or data analysis, or survey results etc. No dissertation will be allowed to move forward in the review process if data are not produced upon request. |
2 | X | ||
| Includes copy of IRB Informed Consent (Proposal) and IRB Approval letter (Dissertation) in an Appendix. | Not done yet
I will add it later |
2 | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | X | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: Lots of ethical issues related to private journals or counseling information. So you want to focus on stress and a scale ration events of stress during pregnancy, and clarity the generalization.
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Limitations and Delimitations
In research, limitations and delimitations go hand in hand with one another. While in limitations, the researcher has no control over things in research that might have an impact on the research outcomes as such the sample size. Some might argue whether or not this sample size would it be a sufficient representation of the larger population? It would be assumed that this 15-25 participants from the Kinghaven Counseling Group clinic would represent the general population who shared the same categories of maternal exposure and their children’s disorder. On the other hand, the delimitations of this research qualitative design would be under the control of the researcher hence the location of the study was verified and accessible for research.
This proposed phenomenon would be clearly stated when the triangulation method used correctly. Evidently, researchers argued that it would be in the advantage of the researcher using the qualitative methods when implementing the triangulation technique correct; in a sense that biases should be limited to its lowest grade. However; the limitation of using the triangulation method might be apparent when the type of questions were asked away from what they were initially intended for or no evidence of mitigating biases within these questionnaires (Casey &Murphy, 2009).
Biases in research could not be avoided and even the participants during interviews might not feel comfortable answering questions and they might end up answering what they do not feel to answer just for the reasons of not being friendly or calm from the researcher’s side. Additionally, the researchers would have to use many methods and tools to collect data for the sake of validity and reliability. Gathering rigor information would dictate the researchers to be subjective as possible without interfering in the data analysis (Anderson & Pham, 2010).
However, these limitations might affect the outcome of the research but in a positive way. For example, the education intervention on evidence-based nursing in clinical practice by Laitila, Mattila&Melender (2016) has explored how systematic reviews with the qualitative analysis would further the results positively. Their studies were basically to synthesis other work and research that were done on this topic. Regardless of the limitations of the qualitative design, the outcome was impacted positively through the in depth understanding of the questionnaires asked and the type of data collected.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| LIMITATIONS AND DELIMITATIONS
This section discusses in detail the limitations and delimitations related to the research methodology and design and potential impacts on the results. (Minimum two to three paragraphs) |
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| Describes any limitations and delimitations related to the methodology, sample, instrumentation, data collection process and analysis. Explains why the existing limitations are unavoidable. Note: This section must be updated as limitations emerge in the data collection/analysis, and then incorporated in Chapter 5 the limitations overall and how the study results were affected. | 2 | 2 | X | |
| Presents strategies to minimize and/or mitigate the negative consequences of limitations and delimitations. | 2, has to consider feasibility and soundness and justification of methods. | 2 | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2, still has editing and development | 2 | X | |
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: | ||||
Summary
The qualitative design would be the chosen method to conduct the investigation of the phenomenon if the exposure to severe stress during the first trimester of pregnancy had an effect over the development of attention/stress and anxiety related problems in their children as early as kindergarten-age. These research questions aligned with the problem statement presented in this dissertation manuscript which stated that it was unknown if the exposure to stress during maternity wouldaffect the development of many behavioral issues in kindergarten-age children as in inattentiveness, hyperactivities and anxiety related issues. Unlike the quantitative method in which the hypothesis dictate the path of research (Staller, 2014), the qualitative method would enable the researcher to mold the path into the closes prediction of the anticipated phenomenon.
The qualitative method would enable the researcher to further analyze the data collected through objectivity when performing interviews with the chosen participants. Others arguedhow qualitative method would enable the credibility of the data collected? Theanswer would be the following: unlike the quantitative method of design in which the researchers apply the statistical measures to collect and analyze, the qualitative researches would take note that the accounting for personal biases might affect the research outcome, the researcher would demonstrate an understanding of the chosen population that should generalize the at- large scale, and the different triangulation methods that was used to collect data (Noble& smith, 2015). The triangulation method was a great tool to collect data using the instruments of structured interview, open-ended questionnaires, and reflective self-written journals. The sample of the 15-25 participants from the Kinghaven Counseling Groups reflected the general population. After all the data were collected, the next step emerged to analyze the data. The data would be analyzed based on the instruments and tools that were used to collect them.
| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| CHAPTER 3 SUMMARY
This section restates what was written in Chapter 3 and provides supporting citations for key points. It then provides a transition discussion to Chapter 4. (Minimum one to two pages) |
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| Summarizes key points presented in Chapter 3 using authoritative, empirical sources/citations. | 1, inc | 2 | X | |
| Presents alignment of the 10 strategic points, illustrating how the research questions align with the problem statement, methodology, design, instrumentation, data collection, procedures and data analysis approach. | 1, inc | 2 | X | |
| Demonstrates in-depth understanding/mastery of the overall research methodology, design and data analysis techniques. | 1 inc | 2 | X | |
| Ends Chapter 3 with a transition discussion to focus for Chapter 4. | 1, inc | 2 | X | |
| The Chapter is correctly formatted to dissertation template using the Word Style Tool and APA standards. Writing is free of mechanical errors. | 1, inc | 2 | X | |
| All research presented in the Chapter is scholarly, topic-related, and obtained from highly respected academic, professional, original sources. In-text citations are accurate, correctly cited and included in the reference page according to APA standards. | 1, inc. | 2 | X | |
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | 2 | X | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments:
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| Criterion
*(Score = 0, 1, 2, or 3) |
Learner Score | Chair Score | Methodologist Score | Content ExpertScore |
| QUALITY OF SOURCES & REFERENCE LIST
For every in-text citation a reference entry exists; conversely, for every reference list entry there is an in-text citation. Uses a range of references including founding theorists, peer-reviewed empirical research studies from scholarly journals, and government/foundation research reports. The majority of all references must be scholarly, topic-related sources published within the last 5 years. Websites, dictionaries, and publications without dates (n.d.) are not considered scholarly sources and should not be cited or present in the reference list. In-text citations and reference list must comply with APA 6th Ed. |
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| Ensures that for every in-text citation a reference entry exists. Conversely, for every reference list entry there is a corresponding in-text citation. Note:The accuracy of citations and quality of sources must be verified by learner, chair and committee members. | X | X | ||
| Uses a range of references including founding theorists, peer-reviewed empirical research studies from scholarly journals, and government/foundation research reports.Note:A minimum of 50 peer-reviewed, empirical research articles are required for the literature review. | X | X | ||
| Verifies that 75% of all references are scholarly sources within the last 5 years. The 5 year timeframe is referenced at the time of the proposal defense date and at the time of the dissertation defense date.Note:Websites, dictionaries, publications without dates (n.d.), are not considered scholarly sources and should not be cited or present in reference list. | X | X | ||
| Avoids overuse of books and dissertations.
Books: Maximum of 10 scholarly books that present cutting edge views on a topic, are research based, or are seminal works. Dissertations: Maximum of 5 published dissertations. |
X | X | ||
| Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA format. | X | X | ||
| *Score each requirement listed in the criteria table using the following scale:
0 = Item Not Present or Unacceptable. Substantial Revisions are Required. 1 = Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are Required. 2 = Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations. Some Revisions May be Suggested or Required. 3 = Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions are Required. |
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| Reviewer Comments: | ||||
Appendix A
The Parts of a Dissertation
GCU uses the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition for its dissertation formatting and style guide. The GCU dissertation template complies with APA 6.0 with exceptions as noted in the template and in this formatting guide. A dissertation has three parts: preliminary pages, main text, and supplementary pages. Some preliminary or supplementary pages may be optional or not appropriate to a specific project. The learner should consult with his or her dissertation chair and committee regarding inclusion/exclusion of optional pages.
Preliminary pages. The following preliminary pages precede the main text of the dissertation.
- Title Page
- Author’s Name
- Copyright Page (optional)
- Committee and Deans Approval Page
- Learner Signature Page
- Abstract
- Dedication Page (optional)
- Acknowledgements (optional)
- Table of Contents
- List of Tables (if you have tables, a list is required)
- List of Figures (if you have figures, a list is required)
Main text. The main text is divided into five major chapters. Each chapter can be further subdivided into sections and subsections based on the formatting requirements for each college.
- Chapter 1:Introduction to the Study
- Chapter 2:Literature Review
- Chapter 3:Methodology
- Chapter 4:Data Analysis and Results
- Chapter 5:Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
Supplementary pages. Supplementary pages follow the body text, including reference materials and other required or optional addenda.
- References (required)
- Appendices (required)
- IRB Approval Letter
- Informed Consent Form
- Copies of Instruments and Permission Letters
- Appendices (optional)
- Data analysis, tables and charts if referenced in Chapter 4
- Lengthy tables or large figures if referenced in other chapters
- Photographs, artifacts or media related to study results
- Vitae (optional)
- Glossary (optional)
- List of Abbreviations (optional)
Keep in mind that most formatting challenges are found in the preliminary and supplementary pages. Allocate extra time and attention for these sections to avoid delays in the electronic submission process. Also, as elementary as it may seem, run a complete spell and grammar check of your entire document before submission.
Appendix B
IRB Approval Letter
This is a required Appendix.
Appendix C
Informed Consent
This is a required Appendix.
Topic: ADHD in children and maternal stress
Hi, thanks for writing the literature review section. I still have some troubles as the School changes my chair and now I have to change the method of collecting data from qualitative into quasi experiment. I will uplaod the entire paper if you dont mind to take a look at what they are asking me to change.
I would like you to help me write these sections. I am investigating the phenomen of maternal stress during the first trimester and the appearnce of ADHD in children around age 5. I will conduct the study at the local clinic. they will provide me with children at age 5 already diagnosed by the clinic with this disorder. All I have to do is to give the survey questions to their mothers to fill it out. They want a nomial scale 1-7 to measure the following: exposure to stress, intensity, frequecny of the exposure to stress, duration, first tiemester of the mother and the Child’s ADHD disorder. Please create a survey questions that tackle these themes ( I created open ended questionas and journals, but the chair rejected them). so whats needed now is a table of these themes and how will I measure them, analyze them and then a a survey questions about themes.
Appendix D
Copy of Instruments and Permissions Letters to Use the Instruments
This is a required Appendix.
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