A research design refers to the approaches and techniques used when a researcher commences the process of collecting and examining measures of the different types of variables to be used in a given study. The nature of a research topic can help the researcher to formulate the design. That is, a research design is chosen depending on how the processes of data collection, measurement, and analysis are expected to be carried out. In studying mental illness and substance abuse in juvenile offenders, a casual or historical design may be adopted, depending on the nature of the research question. The two designs have been selected to elucidate existing relationships between chronic adolescent marijuana use and mental health problems in young adult men.
Causal Design
The causal research design is used to help explain the relationship between two variables within a phenomenon. For example, the relationship between variable X and variable Y. According to University of Southern California (2019) , users of this type of research design utilize conditional statements such as “If X, then Y.” causal research is ideal for research areas where the researcher looks to investigate the impact of measurable changes on current assumptions. For instance, in referring to the problem of marijuana use among young adults, causal research can be used to answer the research question “what are the mental health effects of chronic adolescent marijuana use in young adult men?”
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In this scenario, causal research design can be used to test specific hypotheses. This is because a variation in the independent variable (chronic marijuana use) is expected to influence alterations in the dependent variable (mental health). For instance, the researcher may be looking to establish the null hypotheses H1: Chronic adolescent marijuana use in young adult men does not cause schizophrenia, and H2: Chronic adolescent marijuana use in young adult men does not cause depression and anxiety. To measure the relationships between the variables, the researcher may choose to utilize experimentation where the variables can be controlled to avoid spuriousness. A target population can be chosen and studied in within a controlled setting such as a lab. The research may take longer periods of time compared to other designs because it involves the comparison between two variables.
For a causal design to be successful, there has to be an empirical association, an applicable time order, and accuracy. According to University of Southern California (2019) , a valid conclusion in such a study can only be accomplished where an independent and a dependent variable are associated. Additionally, changes to the dependent variable must be seen to have come after changes to the independent variable occurred. Finally, the relationship between the two variables must not be influenced by an extra third variable.
Historical Design
A historical design can be used where the aim of the research is to gather, validate, and combine evidence from historical data. The purpose of this research design method is to support or reject a predetermined hypothesis through the scrutiny of already established facts. Researchers in this type of design make use of secondary sources of information such as published periodicals or books as well as primary sources of data such as reports and visual recordings. However, all the sources used a historical design have to be both valid and reliable ( University of Southern California, 2019) .
Studies that involve a historical research design are merely meant to add to the existing literature. This means that the studies are ideally unobtrusive. The research does not influence the final results. Additionally, the researchers cannot interact with the research subjects because the study is based on past researches and no new findings can be generated. In the same way, historical research can also be used to imitate a past study where the verification of results in needed.
The historical research design can be used to answer the question “the mental health effects associated with chronic adolescent marijuana use in young adult men.” The researcher can first keenly look up past literature concerning past and current trend in marijuana use. For instance, what is the rate of chronic marijuana use in a specific country over the last twenty years? Once this information is retrieved, the researcher can then go ahead to establish the reasons for chronic marijuana use. The author can cover issues such as peer pressure and the availability of the drug based on past and current literature.
The next step may involve the collection of information regarding trends in chronic marijuana use among young adults with a focus on male adolescents. Afterwards, the researcher will look up the various mental illnesses that have been associated with chronic marijuana use in young adult men. However, all the information in such a research has to be evidence-based. The final phase of the research may involve finding associations between key findings. At the end of the study, the researcher will discuss the key findings that will facilitate future researched on the topic.
Conclusion
The research design depends on the nature of a research question. A research design refers to the approaches and techniques used when a researcher begins the process of collection and examining measures of the various types of variables to be used in a given study. A casual or historical design may be adopted to study relationships between mental illness and substance abuse within juvenile offenders.
Reference
University of Southern California. (2019, October 22). Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Types of Research Designs. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=action+research+design
