MODULE 4:

Research in Child and

Adolescent Development
Prepared by, Nierras, Sanny Boy Jr. O.
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.
Are given and described in the following:
1. Case Study

• An in-depth look at an individual.

Strengths — It provides information about an
individual’s fears, hopes, fantasies, traumatic
experiences, upbringing, family relationships, health,
and anything that helps a psychologist understand
that person’s development (Santrock, 2002).
1. Case Study

• An in-depth look at an individual.

Weaknesses — Need to exercise caution when
generalizing from the information; the subject of a
case study is unique, with a genetic make-up and
experiences no one else shares; involves judgements
of unknown reliability in that usually no check is
made to see if other psychologists agree with other
observations (Santrock, 2002).
2. Correlational Study
• A research design that determines association
Strengths — Useful because the more strongly two events
are correlated, the more we can predict one from the other.
2. Correlational Study
• A research design that determines association
Weakness — Because correlation research does not involve
the manipulation of factors, it not a dependable way to
isolate cause (Kantowitz, et al 2001, cited by Santrock 2002)
3. Experimental

• A research design that determines cause-and-effect

relationships. The experimental method involves
manipulating one variable to determine if changes in
one variable cause changes in another variable. This
method relies on controlled methods, random
assignment and the manipulation of variables to test a
hypothesis.
3. Experimental

Strength — The only reliable method of establishing

cause-and-effect.
Weakness — Experimental research is limited to
what is observable, testable and manipulable.
Failure to achieve randomisation may limit the
extent to which the study sample is representative of
the parent population and, with it, generalizability of
the findings of the study.
3. Experimental

Weakness — Experimentation with humans is

subject to a number of external influences that may
dilute the study results (Donnan, 2000).
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 Observation
A research design that focuses on children’s
experiences in natural settings.
This does not involve any intervention or 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.
4. Naturalistic Observation
Strength — One of the advantages of this type of research is
that it allows the researcher to directly observe the subject in
a natural setting.
Weakness — The disadvantages of naturalistic observation
include the fact that it can be difficult to determine the
exact cause of a behavior and the experimenter cannot
control outside variables.
5. Longitudinal
• This research design studies and follows through a single
group over a period of time. The same individuals are
studied over a period of time, usually several years or more.
• Strength — Allows them to record and monitor
developmental trends
• Wekaness — They are expensive and time-consuming
The longer the study lasts, the more subjects drop out –
they move, get sick, lose interest, etc Subjects can bias the
outcome of a study, because those who remain may be
dissimilar to those who drop
6. Cross-sectional
• A research strategy in which individuals of different
ages are compared at one time.
• Strengths — Allows them to record and monitor
developmental trends. The researcher does not have to
wait for the individuals to grow up or become older.
• Weakness — It gives no information about how
individuals change or about the stability of their
characteristics (Santrock, 2002).
7. Sequential
• This is the combined cross-sectional and longitudinal
approaches to learn about life-span development
(Schaie, 1993 cited by Satrock, 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.
7. Sequential
Strength — Allows them to record and monitor
developmental trends. It vides information that is
impossible to obtain from cross-sectional or
longitudinal approaches alone (Santrock, 2002).
• Weakness — It is complex, expensive, and time
consuming.
8. Action Research
• Action research is a reflective process of progressive
problemsolving led by individuals working with others
in teams or as part of a community of practice to
improve the way they address issues and solve prob-
lems (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).
• In the context of teaching, action researches of
teachers stem from their own questions about.and
reflections on their everyday classroom practice.
8. Action Research

• Strengths — Appropriate in a particular setting when the

purpose of study is to create changes & gain information
on processes and outcome of the strategies used” (Hunt
1987).
• Uses different methods, can get the best out of the
different methods employed, if done well. Stakeholders
are included throughout and more likely to make a so
researchers are “difference.”
8. Action Research

• Weakness — Typically takes place in one organization only

at a particular time and could not be interpreted within
different organizations in the same way. Therefore,
research findings are hard (impossible) to generalize.
• If research participants do not feel they understand and
‘own’ the research project, this could lead to a potential
conflict of interest between the researcher and those
participating in the organization.
Data Gathering Techniques

1. Observation
Observations can be made in either laboratories
or natural settings. In naturalistic observation,
behavior is observed in the real world like classrooms,
home in neighborhood.
Data Gathering Techniques

2. Physiological Measures
Certain indicators of children’s development such
as, among others, heart rate, hormonal levels, bone
growth, body weight, and brain activity are measured.
Data Gathering Techniques

3. Standardized
These are prepared tests that assess individuals’
performance in different domains. These tests are
administered in a consistent manner.
Data Gathering Techniques
4. Interviews and Questionnaires
Involve 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 so that every
participant is asked the same questions in the same manner. It
entails asking participants for information in some structured
format.
Data Gathering Techniques

5. Life-History Records
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 interviews with respondent.
Ethical Principles
To serve the genuine purposes of research, teacher
researchers are subject to ethical principles, Just as we
have the Code of Ethics that governs the behavior of
teachers, there also exist ethical standards that guide the
conduct of research. These ethical standards serve as
reminders that as researchers, we should strive to protect
the subjects of our study and to maintain the integrity of
our research. Details of these ethical principles are found
in documents such as the following:
Ethical Principles
Ethical standards of the American Educational Research
Association http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/About AERA/
Ethical Standards/EthicalStandards.pdf
Ethical Standards for Research with Children - Society for
Research in Child Development (USA) http://www.sred.org/
index.php?option=com content&task=view&id=68&Itemid=110
1. Standards of the American Psychological Association
Concerning Research
http://www.lcsc.edu/policy/Policy/1.112a. PDF
Ethical Principles

Common among the three standards given above

are the following considerations for researches
conducted with young children and other vulnerable
population which are enumerated by the National
Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC). Some key points are:
Ethical Principles
1. Research procedures must never harm children, physically
or psychologically.

2. Children and their families have the right to full

information about the research in which they may
participate, including possible risks and benefits. Their
decision to participate must be based on what is called
“informed consent.” There must be informed consent
procedures with research participants.
Ethical Principles
3. Children’s questions about the research should be
answered in a truthful manner and in ways that children can
understand. Researchers must be honest and clear in their
communication.

4. There should be respect for privacy. Information obtained

through research with children should remain confidential.
Researchers should not disclose personal information or the
identity of participants in written or oral reports and
discussions.
The Data Privacy Act of 2012 (R.A. 10173)
This law was passed in the Philippines in 2012 “to protect
the fundamental human right of privacy of communication
while erisuring 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.”
• For more details, read RA 10173.
Impact of Teachers’ Research Involvement
on Teachers
Research itself has proven that teachers have
everything to gain and nothing to lose when they get
involved in the research process. Evidence suggests
that:
1. teachers who have been involved in research may
become more reflective, more critical and analytical in
their teaching, and more open and committed to
professional development
Impact of Teachers’ Research Involvement
on Teachers
2. Participating in teacher research also helps teachers
become more deliberate in their decision-making and
actions in the classroom.

3. teacher research develops the professional

dispositions of lifelong learning, reflective and mindful
teaching, and self- transformation (Mills 2000; Stringer
2007).
Impact of Teachers’ Research Involvement
on Teachers

4. Engaging in teacher research at any level may lead to

rethinking and reconstructing what it means to be a
teacher or teacher educator and, consequently, the
way teachers relate to children and students.
Impact of Teachers’ Research Involvement
on Teachers
5. teacher research has the potential to demonstrate to
teachers and prospective teachers that learning to
teach is inherently connected to learning to inquire
(Borko, Liston, & Whitcomb 2007).
• Teacher involvement in the conduct of teacher
research shows a shift from thinking about teacher
research as something done to teachers to something
done by teachers (Zeichner 1999; Lampert 2000).
Research Abstract
A research abstract is a brief that appears at the beginning of the
article. It has the parts: summary
Title
Researcher/s
Date of Research
Introduction
Methods
Findings/Results of the Study
Conclusions and Recommendations
• References
Reflection

It is said that because teachers are overloaded with

work, they usually frown on the conduct of research.
Reflect on the consequences of this attitude. Ask
yourselves, what can be done to prevent this?