Consider The Following Scenario: You Are Designing A Researc

Consider the following scenario: You are designing a research study

Consider the following scenario: You are designing a research study to determine the effects of a new medication to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. Would you choose to conduct a correlational study or an experimental study? In addition, would you choose a cross-sectional or a longitudinal design? Instructions: In explaining your choices, be sure to discuss: a. Your research designs. Give specific details about designs and procedures. State why you chose these designs. b. The pros and cons of the research designs you selected. How they would affect the conclusions you are able to draw from your specific study. c. How you would examine the effects of genetics and environment by incorporating a twin study design. d. Finally, discuss what steps you would take to ensure compliance with APA ethical standards for conducting research with children.

Paper For Above instruction

The design of a research study investigating the effects of a new medication for ADHD in children requires a meticulous selection of appropriate methodologies to ensure valid, reliable, and ethical outcomes. An experimental study with a longitudinal design offers the most robust approach to understanding medication effects over time while accounting for individual variability and developmental changes.

Research Design Selection

Choosing an experimental design involves manipulating the independent variable—in this case, administering the new medication—while controlling for confounding variables through randomization and control groups. Participants would be randomly assigned to either the medication group or a placebo group, ensuring internal validity. The procedures involve baseline assessments, administering the medication or placebo over an extended period, and periodic evaluations of ADHD symptoms using standardized measures like the Conners’ Rating Scales (Conners, 2008). A longitudinal framework allows observation of treatment effects across different developmental stages, which is critical given the neurodevelopmental nature of ADHD (Biederman & Faraone, 2005).

Pros and Cons of the Chosen Design

An experimental longitudinal study provides high internal validity by establishing causal relationships between medication and symptom improvement. Its strength lies in observing changes over time, thus informing the persistence and durability of therapeutic effects (Hyman & Wise, 2019). However, this design is resource-intensive, requiring significant funding, participant commitment, and ethical oversight. Attrition can bias results, especially if those with adverse effects drop out (Caruana et al., 2015). Additionally, ethical concerns arise when withholding potentially beneficial medication from the control group, necessitating close monitoring and ethical safeguards (American Psychological Association, 2017).

Incorporating Twin Study Design to Examine Genetics and Environment

To parse out genetic versus environmental influences on medication efficacy and ADHD symptomatology, integrating a twin study design is advantageous. Comparing concordance rates of treatment response between monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (fraternal) twins allows estimation of heritability. If monozygotic twins show similar improvements compared to dizygotic twins, this suggests a genetic component influencing medication response (Turkheimer, 2000). Twin studies provide valuable insights into gene-environment interactions, especially in disorders like ADHD, where multiple genetic and environmental factors interplay (Faraone & Mick, 2010).

Ensuring Ethical Compliance with APA Standards

Research involving children mandates strict adherence to APA ethical standards to protect vulnerable participants. Prior to study initiation, obtaining approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) is mandatory (American Psychological Association, 2017). Parental consent and child assent are essential, ensuring participants and guardians understand the study’s purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits (NASP, 2010). Confidentiality must be maintained throughout, employing secure data storage and anonymization techniques. Ongoing monitoring for adverse effects and providing the option to withdraw at any point uphold ethical imperatives of beneficence and respect for persons (APA, 2017). Additionally, failure to meet ethical standards risks psychological harm and invalidates results.

Conclusion

In sum, an experimental longitudinal design coupled with twin studies offers a comprehensive methodology to investigate the efficacy of a new ADHD medication in children, capturing developmental changes and genetic-environmental interactions. Such rigorous design elements, coordinated with strict adherence to ethical standards, ensure scientifically sound and ethically responsible research outcomes that can significantly advance clinical practices and understanding of ADHD treatment.

References

• American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. https://www.apa.org/ethics/code
• Biederman, J., & Faraone, S. V. (2005). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Lancet, 366(9481), 237-248.
• Caruana, E. J., Roman, M., Hernández, J., & Holloway, R. L. (2015). Longitudinal studies. BMJ, 350, h231.
• Conners, C. K. (2008). Conners' Rating Scales—Revised. Multi-Health Systems.
• Faraone, S. V., & Mick, E. (2010). The genetics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 33(1), 159-180.
• Hyman, S. E., & Wise, S. P. (2019). Longitudinal research design in psychological studies. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 615-638.
• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). (2010). Ethical standards for school psychologists. NASP.
• Turkheimer, E. (2000). Three laws of behavior genetics and what they mean. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9(5), 160-164.
• Hyman, S., & Wise, S. P. (2019). Longitudinal research design in psychological studies. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 615-638.
• Faraone, S. V., & Mick, E. (2010). The genetics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 33(1), 159-180.