Alcoholic in Teens - Research Proposal Example

Introduction Alcoholism is becoming a major problem in the country as well as around the globe (Cismaru, Lavack, & Markewich, 2008). This has not been made easy by the growing number and nature of advertising campaigns run by the industry players that can easily have an influence on the viewers of all ages in the country. In the United States, the problem of alcoholism in teenagers has been rated the highest than in any other developed nation in the globe. Statistics have in fact indicated that there is an increase in the number of underage drinking in the country. According to a report in the Mail Online (2013), about 30% of American girls of age 13 to 15 years have been involved in binge drinking. Moreover, alcoholism is more than just a social weakness or problem as many would tend to think if the medical definition of it being a chronic illness is anything to go by. As a matter of fact, the National Institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism in a report of a research recently conducted indicates that there is increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among alcoholics (Bryant, 2013). This is because alcoholism has been found to affect the brain so that the retention of trauma is higher than usual. Social workers should therefore be concerned with the identification of the factors that have made alcoholism among teens popular (Zarbock, 2008). In recognition of these surprising facts and statistics among other effects of this major problem in the American society especially with regards to teenagers, the study will be conducted to ascertain the extent of this problem among teenagers in the country. The research will be for the purposes of pointing out the extent of alcoholism among teenagers using the primary surveys and available secondary data on the subject. Methods The study will involve a sample of participants across the country. The identified sample will be conducted with the help of about 60 teenagers who are currently within the states and territory of the United States. The age bracket under investigation that will also be considered for sampling will be boys and girls between the age of 12 to 15. Since there is the issue of legal consumption of alcohol, the identified age bracket is important for the examination of the effectiveness of the law in curbing this habit among the younger generation. The main sampling criteria employed will be intensity sampling. This is because there will be need for the identification of a fairly distributed and representative sample so that the objectives of this study is attained. Gender balance and fairness will be distributed to reflect an equity ratio or on a fifty-fifty proportion since this problem has been identified as an issue for both sexes. In addition, the other factors that will be considered in the selected sample will be that of the socio-economic background of the participants so that prevalence is gauged according to that criterion. The issue to be investigated will be the prevalence of alcoholism among the teenagers in the country. The participants will be picked from all regions in the country to ensure equal representation. This will mean that teenagers across all the states and territories will be eligible to participate in the survey. It is also important that there will be a balance between the alcoholics and non-alcoholics in the sample so that there is a clear representation on the issues surrounding the problem. In addition, expert advice and published reports will be utilized to provide a clear picture of the situation. Secondly, the research will employ the use of varied data collection methods. One of the instruments of data collection that will be mostly employed in the study will be questionnaires. Structured questionnaires will be used to investigate the participants on what they think the rate of alcoholism among their peers of the age bracket under investigation is. The participants will also have the chance to indicate information on some of the commonly consumed alcohol brands and the effects and other reasons as to why most teenagers have resorted to early drinking. In addition, to ensure that the research is able to critically analyze the situation, direct observation will be used so that the current behavioral patterns of the participants are also noted for the purposes of identifying the causes and effects (McNeill & Chapman, 2005). As mentioned earlier, the study will also involve the use of interviews as a supplementary collection method so that the researcher is able to interrogate further the effect of alcoholism among teenagers in the country and the factors that may have led to the current situation. Given the age of the participants, it is also notable that the research will take an approach of the various social work practices into consideration so that the affected and the potential victims of this social and health problem are helped through their families and the community. In line with this, the study will also involve discussions among teenagers in the identified group of participants so that the issue is presented on a more incisive and informative way. This is important because there are many young boys and girls in the country that have not understood the consequences of alcoholism on their future. Research Design The research design will be influenced by the nature of the research, which is based on a Single Subject Design. The study design will therefore be focused on the issue of alcoholism among the teenage population without investigating the external factors that might have led to this problem. The design will be a qualitative one given that the study mainly bases its findings on the prevalence rates more than the causes and effects of alcoholism among the teenage population. It will therefore investigate the rates of alcohol consumption among the identified group of teenagers and measure this against the national averages as reported by the various agencies. The participants’ feedback will be important for the evaluation of the extent to which alcoholism among teenagers is widespread in the country according to the research hypothesis. Secondary material will be used for the purposes of reinforcing the data acquired during the survey among the participants. Since the problem may be worse than reported, it is important that the results of this study are able to identify such disparities so that there is information on the seriousness of this issue to parents and the society. In effect, the research will be a modified form of quantitative research because it will entail some of the elements of qualitative research owing to the nature of the subject matter of the study that touches on an issue of generational significance. Results The results of this study will be tested empirically for accuracy and validity before they are presented. The analysis of the data for the final presentation in terms of results will employ the use of determination of prevalence rates in terms of percentages and the deviation from the reported data. The participants will provide the prevalence rates in terms of a 1 to 10 rating. This will be based on their close friends either at their residential areas as well as in social places like schools and other recreational centers. The number of friends that are alcoholics in terms of the 10 best will be important in relaying the rates of exposure to alcoholism among the teenagers because it is a fact that this habit is highly addictive and can be subject to peer influence. The results obtained from the above model will be compared to consolidated data from the national reports on the issue within the last 12 months from the time of study. The results in overall will therefore present the data in terms of three levels. First will be the prevalence level as determined in the quantitative study by the respondents. The second level will be the national consolidated figures from the various state and federal government agencies concerned with alcoholism and drug abuse among teenagers in the country. The last and important information will be that of the variation in prevalence rates as derived from the study with those of the national published reports. The results will therefore be important for the purposes of further action on the issue by social workers as well as other concerned agencies. References Bryant, E. (2013). Chronic Drinking May Alter Brain to Increase PTSD Risk. Retrieved 3 April, 2013 from http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/research/niaaa-research-highlights/chronic-drinking-may-alter-brain-increase-ptsd-risk Cismaru, M., Lavack, A. & Markewich, E. (2008). Alcohol Consumption among Young Consumers: A Review and Recommendations. Young Consumers, 9, (4), p.282-296. Daily Mail (2013). U.S. Teens Worst in Western World for Binge-Drinking, Drugs and Violent Deaths. Retrieved 3 April, 2013 from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2135057/U-S-teens-worst-western-world-binge-drinking-drugs-violent-deaths.html#ixzz2POqIl5US McNeill , P. & Chapman, S. ( 2005). Research Methods. New York: Routledge publishing. Zarbock, S. (2008). Risk Versus Choice: What Teens Need To Know About Alcoholism. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, 21, (7), p.15. Read More