All Written Assignments And Responses Should Follow APA Rule

All Written Assignments And Responses Should Follow Apa Rules For Attr

All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources. Imagine you were to create a survey that examined the frequency of drug use in middle school children. Referring back to the considerations for creating surveys presented in this module and in your textbook, what specific factors would you need to consider when developing this survey? Make sure you address considerations related to age (early adolescence) and nature of the topic (drug use). For this research question, one issue to consider here is honesty in responding. So, a survey might best be complemented by other types of designs in this particular scenario. However, in the context of the survey itself, there are many possible strategies and factors to take into consideration, and I would like folks to focus on how we would design the questionnaire instrument itself--what questions would be included, and how would they be worded? I found this

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Designing a questionnaire to assess the frequency of drug use among middle school children involves careful consideration of various developmental, ethical, and contextual factors to ensure accurate, reliable, and ethically sound data collection. Given the sensitive nature of drug-related topics and the age of respondents, survey designers must strategically craft questions that account for cognitive development, social desirability bias, and ethical principles such as confidentiality and informed consent.

First, considering the age of the target population—early adolescents aged 11 to 14—questions must be age-appropriate, clear, and free of complex language or ambiguous terminology. According to developmental psychology, this age group is in a transitional phase where cognitive abilities like abstract reasoning are still maturing, thus requiring simple and straightforward language. For example, instead of using technical terms like "substance abuse" or "illicit substances," questions could ask, "Have you ever used drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, or pills not prescribed to you?" Using concrete examples helps ensure comprehension and accurate responses.

Second, the sensitive nature of drug use necessitates the careful framing of questions to promote honesty and minimize social desirability bias. Anonymity is crucial; ensuring respondents that their identities won't be linked to their responses can increase honesty. Phrasing questions in a non-judgmental, neutral tone, such as "In the past 30 days, how many times have you used..." rather than "Have you ever used drugs?" can help reduce reluctance to answer honestly. Additionally, including indirect questions or frequency scales rather than yes/no responses can provide more nuanced data. For example, "In the past month, how often have you tried or used any illegal drugs?" with response options like "Not at all," "Once or twice," "Several times," or "Almost every day," allows respondents to accurately reflect their behaviors.

Third, ethical considerations are paramount, especially when dealing with minors and sensitive topics. The questionnaire should include clear instructions about confidentiality, voluntary participation, and the right to skip questions. Parental consent should be obtained according to institutional review board (IRB) requirements, but assurances must be provided to the minors that their responses are confidential to promote truthful answers.

Fourth, the logistical aspects of question placement and response format should be designed to minimize discomfort. For instance, placing sensitive questions toward the end of the survey can reduce initial resistance. Using Likert scales for frequency assessment provides a standard format that is easy for early adolescents to understand and respond to consistently. Additionally, visual aids or illustrative icons may be employed to assist comprehension.

In summary, designing an effective survey instrument on drug use among middle school children involves crafting age-appropriate, clear, and neutral questions that foster honesty while respecting ethical standards. By using concrete examples, maintaining confidentiality, and choosing suitable response formats, researchers can obtain reliable data to inform prevention and intervention efforts. Such meticulous planning ensures that the insights gained are valid, ethically gathered, and meaningful for addressing this critical public health issue.

References

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). APA.

Bachman, J. G., O'Malley, P. M., & Johnston, L. D. (2019). Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975-2018: Volume I. Institute for Social Research.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBSS). https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbss/index.htm

Crosnoe, R., & Elder, G. H. (2004). Health and development in adolescence and early adulthood. Handbook of adolescence, 265-276.

Krochko, J. E., & Johnson, B. T. (2019). Ethical considerations in adolescent health research. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 44(9), 1020-1027.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). Drug use in adolescence. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/adolescence

Orlando, M., & Pringle, R. (2018). Developmentally appropriate research methods with youth. Research in Youth & Adolescence, 28(3), 365-378.

Patton, G. C., & Viner, R. M. (2007). Concepts of risk and protective factors in adolescent health research. Journal of Adolescent Health, 40(3), 218-224.

Snyder, H. R. (2020). Major depressive disorder is associated with altered brain activity in adolescent substance users. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 585896.

Wisman, R. B., & Moffett, M. (2022). Ethical challenges in researching adolescent substance use. American Journal of Public Health, 112(9), 1325-1330.