Module 4 : RESEARCH IN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

l. Introduction
You may have a separate 3- unit course on research. This Module is not
intended to be substitute for that 3- unit course. It is simply meant to supplement
what you got or will still get in the Research course.
As you may have noticed, most if not all of what is presented about the
development of the child and the adolescent are products of research. It might interest
you to know how these concepts/theories were arrived at.
ll. Learning Outcomes
At the end of this Module, the students should be able to:
a. explain the basic principles of research
b. demonstrate appreciation of the role of teachers as consumers and producers
of developmental research
c. read researches on child and adolescent development and make simple
research abstract out of research read.
lll. Learning Content
The conduct of research does not only belong to thesis and dissertation
writers. It is for students and teachers, too. Let us learn how to conduct
research by finding out the different research principles and the research
methods and designs with focus on child and adolescent development.
The Scientific Method
One important principle in research is adherence to the scientific method,
since research is a systematic and logical process. As such, researchers basically
follow the scientific method. Dewey gave five (5) steps of the scientific method. They
are as follows:
1. identifying and define the problem
2. determine the hypothesis
3. collect and analyze data
4. formulate conclusions
5. apply conclusions to the original hypothesis
Identifying the research problem is the first step. This is followed by
stating a tentative answer to the research problem called hypothesis. The hypothesis is
also referred to as an “educated guess.” How correct is your “educated guess” or
“hypothesis?” If your research problem is concerned with determining the cause of an
effect or a phenomenon you have gather and analyze data derived from an experiment.
This is true with experimental research. However, if your research problem is concerned
with describing data and characteristics about the subjects or phenomenon you are
studying, you do not need to perform an experiment. This is descriptive research. After
analyzing the data, you formulate your conclusions.
Compare your conclusions to your original hypothesis to find out if your
original hypothesis is correct or not. If your original hypothesis jibes with your finding
and conclusion, affirm your hypothesis. If your original hypothesis does not jibe with
your finding and conclusions, reject your original hypothesis.

Research Designs
Researches that are done with high level of quality and integrity provide us
with valuable information about child and adolescent development. To be able to
conduct quality research, it is important that you know various research designs and
different data-gathering techniques used by developmental researchers.

Research Weaknesses
Design Description Strengths
1. Case An in-depth It provides information about an Need to exercise
Study look at an individual’s fears, hopes, caution when
individual fantasies, traumatic generalizing from
experiences, upbringing, family the information;
relationships, health, and the subject of a
anything that helps a case study is
psychologist understand that unique, with a
person’s genetic make-up
development(Santrock,2002). and experiences
no one else
shares; involves
judgements of
unknown
reliability in that
that usually no
check is made to
see if other
psychologists
agree with other
observations
(Santrock,2002).
2.Correlational A research Useful because the more Not involve the
Study design that strongly two events are manipulation of
determines correlated, the more we can factors, it is not a
associations predict one from the other dependable way
 to isolate cause
(Kantowitz, et
al,2001 cited by
Santrock, 2002).
3.Experimenta A research The only true reliable method of Experimental
l design that establishing cause and effect research is
determines limited to what is
cause -and- observable,
effect testable and
relationships. manipulable.
The
experimental Failure to achieve
method randomization
involves may limit the
manipulating extent to which
one variable the study sample
to determine is representative
if changes in of the parent
one variable population and,
cause with it,
changes in generalizability of
another the findings of the
variable. study.
This method
relies on Experimentation
controlled with human is
methods, subject to a
random number of
assignment external
and the influences that
manipulation may dilute the
of variables study results
to test a (Donnan, 2000).
hypothesis. A further
limitation of
experimental
research is that
subjects may
change their
behavior or
respond in a
specific manner
simply because
of awareness of
being observed
-Hawthorne effect
 (Haughey, 1994;
Clifford, 1997).
4. Naturalistic A research One of the advantages of this The
Observation design that type of research is that it allows disadvantages of
focusses on the researcher to directly naturalistic
children’s observe the subject in a natural observation
experiences setting. include the fact
in natural that it can be
settings. difficult to
determine the
This does exact cause of a
not involve behavior and the
any experimenter
intervention cannot control
or outside variables.
manipulation
on the part of
the
researcher.
This
technique
involves
observing
subjects in
their natural
environment

This type of
research is
often utilized
in situations
where
conducting
lab research
is unrealistic,
cost-
prohibitive or
would unduly
affect the
subject’s
behavior.
5.Longitudinal This Allows them to record and They are
research monitor developmental trends expensive and
design time-consuming
studies and
follows The longer the
 through a study lasts, the
single group more subjects
over a period drop out- they
of time. The move, get sick,
same lose interest, etc.
individuals Subject can bias
are studied the outcome of a
over a period study, because
of time, those who remain
usually may be dissimilar
several to those who drop
years or out.
more.

6.Cross- A research Allows them to record and It gives no

sectional strategy in monitor developmental trends. information about
which The researcher does not have how
individuals of to wait for the individuals to individuals
different grow up or become older. change or about
ages are the stability of
compared at their
one time. characteristics
(Santrock, 2002).
7.Sequential This is the Allows them to record and It is complex,
combined monitor developmental trends. It expensive, and
cross- provides information that is time-consuming.
sectional and impossible to obtain from cross-
longitudinal sectional or longitudinal
approaches approaches alone
to learn (Santrock,2002).
about life-
span
development
(Schaie,
1993 cited
by Santrock,
2002). This
starts with a
cross-
sectional
study that
includes
individuals of
different
ages. A
number of
 months or
years after
the initial
assessment,
the same
individuals
are tested
again-this is
the
longitudinal
aspect of the
design. At
this later
time, a new
group of
subjects is
assessed at
each grade
level.
Action Action Appropriate in a particular Typically takes
research research is a setting when the purpose of place in one
reflective study is “to create changes and organization only
process of gain information on processes at a particular
progressive and outcome of the strategies time and could
problem used” not be interpreted
solving led (Hunt, 1987). within different
by organizations in
individuals Uses different methods, can get the same way.
working with the best out of the different Therefore,
others in methods employed, if done well. research findings
teams or as Stakeholders are included are hard
part of a throughout and so researchers (impossible) to
“community are more likely to make a generalize.
of practice” “difference.”
to improve If research
the way they participants do
address not feel they
issues and understand and
solve “own’ the
problems research project,
(Wikipedia, this could lead to
the free a potential
encyclopedia conflict of interest
between the
In the researcher and
context of those
 teaching, participating in
action the organization,
researches but also between
of teachers the researcher
stem from with some
their own participants, on
questions the one hand and
about and other members of
reflections the organization,
on their on the other.
everyday
classroom
practice.

Data-Gathering Techniques
Data-Gathering Techniques Definition/Description

1. Observation Observations can be made in either

2. Physiological Measures
3. Standardized
4. Interviews and Questionnaires
laboratories or natural settings. In
naturalistic observation, behavior is
observed in the real world like
classrooms, home in neighborhood.
Certain indicators of children’s
development such as, among others
heart rate, hormonal levels, bone growth,
body weight, and brain activity are
measured.
These are prepared tests that assess
individuals’ performance in different
domains. These tests are administered in
a consistent manner.
Involved asking the participants to
provide information about themselves
based on the interview or questionnaire
given by the researcher.

Gathering of data may be conducted

through a printed questionnaire, over the
telephone, by mail, in person, or on-line.

Information is obtained by utilizing

standardized procedures so that every
participant is asked the same questions in

5. Life-History Records
the same manner. It entails asking
participants for information in some
structured format.
These are records of information about a
lifetime chronology of events and
activities. They often involve a
combination of data records on
education, work, family, and residence.
These include public records or historical
documents or interview with respondent.

The Data Privacy Act of 2012 (R.A. 10173)

The law was passed in the Philippines in 2012”to protect the fundamental
human right of privacy of communication while ensuring free flow of information to
promote innovation and growth.”
The law states that the collection of personal data “must be a declared,
specified, and legitimate purpose and that…consent is required prior to the collection of
all personal data.”

A Research Abstract
A research abstract is a brief summary that appears at that beginning of the article.
It has the following parts:
 Title
 Researcher/s
 Date of Research
 Introduction
 Methods
 Findings/Results of the Study
 Conclusions and Recommendation
 References

The first three (3) are self explanatory and so need no further
explanation. The introduction, as the tithe implies, introduces the problem or
issue that is being studied. It includes a concise review of research relevant to
the topic, theoretical ties, and one or more hypotheses to be tested. The
method section consists of a clear description of the subjects evaluated in the
study, measure`s used and the procedures that were followed. The results
section reports the analysis of the data collected. The conclusions and
 recommendations state the author/s’ answers to the specific problems of the
study and suggestions on next steps based on the findings and conclusions of
the study. Methods, Findings/Results of the Study and Conclusions and
Recommendations constitute the body of the Abstract. The last part of the
abstract is the reference. This include bibliographic information for each
source cited in the research report.

“ Research is to see what everybody else has seen and to think what
nobody else has thought.”

---Albert Szent – Gyorgi, Hungarian Biochemist

lV. Learning Assessment

Surf the internet for samples of research abstract/researches on child and
adolescent development. Select one research abstract then using the matrix
given below, write the problem, the research methodology, the findings and
conclusions.

Problem Research Methodology

Findings Conclusions

V. References
[1] Corpuz, Brenda B., Lucas, Ma. Rita,etal., Child and Adolescent Development: Looking
at Leraners at Different Stages, 2005.
[2] Santrock, john W., Life Span Development ,8th ed., New York: McGraw-Hill Companies
[3] Trawick-Smith,Jeffrey. Early Chjildhhod Development A Multicultural Perspective USA:
Prentice Hall, 4th edition,2006.