Quantitative Research Article Critique: Adolescent trauma and abuse

Quantitative Research Article Critique​

Guadalupe Cisneros
Texas Woman’s University
Masters Of Education




I. Purpose of the study/research problem

The purpose of this study is to provide information on how resilience would affect areas of adolescents that were exposed to trauma, stress, abuse, and neglect and how those symptoms were like those of PTSD. The researchers noted that "resilience" has recently been studied since 1970, and their research was one of the first to be conducted. One of the problems facing the researchers was that very little is known and learned to protect adolescents facing PTSD symptoms. Another problem cited is that young people in Zimbabwe are at risk, especially those who suffer from abuse and neglect, and those who have been victimized in that area may also suffer from the symptoms. Adolescents in these areas are exposed to high levels of violence, trauma, abuse, and neglect, therefore, are prime candidates for suffering from PTSD (Fincham et al., 2009).

II. Logical consistency

The University Of Stellenbosh Committee gave the ethical approval. Western Cape Department of Education and their respective Principles permitted the researchers to do the research. Written consent was received from the parents, and instructions were given to the students. Five measures were used to conduct this research The Child PTSD Checklist, Child Expose to Community Violence, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, and the Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale; PTSD (Fincham et al., p. 194, 2009). I believe these measures build on each other they make a connection to fulfill the outcome. Some of the examples, for instance, are in the Child PTSD Checklist, the adolescent was asked questions like "I worry that it might happen again" also "I have trouble sleeping" these are symptoms that are clear evidence of the young person in distress. Another example in the questionnaire, Child Exposure to Community Violence, was asked, "I have seen someone get stabbed" Naturally, seeing a friend, a neighbor, or even a loved one get hurt this way can cause severe consequences. The Child Trauma Questionnaire also exposed the young people to how they felt regarding physical abuse by asking questions like "I got hit real hard." In the Perceived Stress Scale, coping questions were asked, "you felt you could not cope” (Fincham et al., p. 195, 2009).

III. Literature review

There were five studies mentioned in this article. The flow of the information is logical because it sets up the foundation for this research hypothesis. All studies address the issue of PTSD. The review is not overly critical of the previous research; however, it acknowledges that more research needs to be done. I believe the report was quantitative since the information provided is only statistical. The first study only cites 24.1% suffered 8 out of 15 of the PTSD symptoms. The following report shows that 14.5 % witnessed at least one violent incident; the third says that 67% had seen at least one violent, traumatic event; these are some data collected from the reports (Fincham et al., pp. 193-194, 2009).

IV. Theoretical framework

The conceptual framework in this research is the effect adolescents suffer from exposure to trauma, stress, abuse, and neglect and how those symptoms are like PTSD. The conceptual framework is mentioned numerous times throughout the article. No, it was not difficult to find at the beginning because the researcher begins with research on adolescents in South Africa and violence. I was confused and did not understand where the report was headed; however, the researchers clarified that this was only to set up the framework for their hypothesis. Yes, the study logically fits the study's purpose with the literature review. In the literature review, the study cites the abuse, violence, and neglect that these young people suffer. They cite a nationwide survey in which 2041 participants were studied for the coalition between trauma and PTSD. Another study listed Zimbabwean adolescents who had symptoms of PTSD because of abuse and neglect.

V. Study Design, Research Questions and Methods Aims and objectives/research question/research hypothesis

The objective of this study is clear the researchers wanted to know if young people were exposed to such harsh conditions as trauma, stress, abuse, and neglect and how those symptoms were like those of PTSD. The hypothesis was "That resilience would moderate the relationship between exposure to trauma, stress, abuse, and neglect and how those symptoms were like those of PTSD” (Fincham et al., p. 194, 2009). The literature chosen for this particular study did tie together with the information. One of the studies showed that children did develop PTSD symptoms when they were exposed to all that violence. Another study suggested that children that were physically and sexually abused ran the risk of developing symptoms like those of PTSD. All the studies the researchers provided had examples of the type of abuse that would develop symptoms similar to PTSD (Fincham et al., p. 194, 2009).

VI. Sampling, Measures & Data Collection

The survey was self-administered and only answered once in four months from August 1, 2006, to December 1, 2006. There were 787 participants from five public schools; since the questionnaire was only administered in English, the participants had to be proficient. The researchers used purposive sampling. The researchers admit that the sample was "relatively large"(Fincham et al., p. 195, 2009).

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey on adolescents living in the Western Cape of South Africa. The survey was self-administered and only answered once in four months from August 1, 2006, to December 1, 2006. There were 787 participants from five public schools; since the questionnaire was only administered in English, the participants had to be proficient.

Methodology: research design

Yes, I believe the methods would help the researcher answer their hypothesis; from the sampling of the questions, you can see they are concise and stick to what they want to accomplish. The adolescents are asked questions about the violence surrounding them and how they can cope with all the chaos. For example, the PTSD checklist and the Child Exposure and Community Violence Child Trauma Questionnaire are ways of getting the information needed for the research article (Fincham et al., 2009).

VII. Reliability, Validity & Data Analyses

A procedure called SPSS 15.0 software package was used. Case summaries were computed to identify errors. A Missing Value Analysis was also performed. Missing continuous data were imputed via regression estimation. Variable means and percentages before and after missing data imputation were compared to assess the validity of the imputed data ((Fincham et al., p. 195, 2009).

The researchers recognize that some areas of the study still need to be addressed. According to the researcher, the young people were only questioned on school days and therefore limited to those that attended. The researchers could not control de variables, and a two-step hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted.

The report does not mention what information was left out but does mention that missing data imputation did not make much of a difference to the report. Not knowing what information was missing, it is clear that if the responses were not deemed necessary, the researchers did not use them. The findings suggest that high exposure to community violence, perceived stress and childhood abuse, and neglect might contribute to the development of PTSD symptoms in adolescents. Close relationships with supportive adults may help prevent PTSD symptoms from developing in young people experiencing violence and abuse in their surroundings (Fincham et al., pp. 198-199, 2009).

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Reference

Fincham, D. S., Altes, L. K., Stein, D. J., & Seedat, S. (2009). Posttraumatic stress disorder

symptoms in adolescents: Risk factors versus resilience moderation. Comprehensive

Psychiatry, 50(3), 193–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2008.09.001