Research on the Social Causes of Domestic Violence in the United States - Coursework Example

Implement Qualitative Approaches to the Dissertation Number May 18, Faculty Implement Qualitative Approaches to the Dissertation RESEARCH TOPIC: AN EXAMINATION OF THE SOCIAL CAUSES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AMONG THE FAMILIES LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES. Outline of the Dissertation The proposed dissertation will comprise five chapters, references in the APA style of referencing and an appendix. Chapter one of the dissertations shall constitute the background information of the research, the problem statement, the research questions and objectives, the limitations of the study, and the justification of the study. Chapter two of the dissertation will present a detailed review of all relevant literature concerning the subject matter of the research. Chapter three shall be comprised of the research methodology. Here, the entire design for the research, the methods of data collection, the target population, research reliability and validity of instruments and sampling techniques and the other data analysis methods. Chapter four of the dissertation shall purpose to present in detail the discussions, thematic analysis and findings of the study. The last chapter of the dissertation shall comprise a summary of the findings, conclusions and recommendations made thereof. The recommendations for further related research shall also be made. Chapter One Background of the Problem The researcher will develop a background to the research that will enable the readers understand the need and justification for the prevailing social problem that calls for research. The scene of the study shall be set in this part of the introduction into the research. The trend of domestic violence among the US populations shall be particularly stated in this section. Below is an introductory paragraph to the background information. Domestic violence is an intentionally learned behaviour that is designed to achieve control and power over another. Domestic violence was brought into the public sphere in the United States in the 1960s and 70s by the Battered Women’s Movement and Feminist movements (Finley, 2013). Activists in these movements aimed at bringing a public attention to the violence against women and children that was on the rise at the time. In the last three decades, the federal government has initiated programmes and initiatives that are aimed at reducing domestic violence and providing socio-economic support to the victims. The Violence against Women Act was signed in the United States in 1994. Importantly, the Act set the Office of Violence against Women in the Department of Justice of the United States and set forth the policy of the federal government towards domestic violence. However, the Act was sanctioned in 2000 and 2005 and later received another authorization in 2011 (Finley, 2013). Women of all demographics are vulnerable to domestic violence. Women encounter domestic violence differently depending on their ethnic, social and economic divergences. The severity and frequency of domestic violence have been high for women of a lower socioeconomic class. Statement of the Problem Despite the primarily rooted campaign against domestic violence in the United States populations through policy adjustments and societal groups, domestic violence remains a real problem among the US populations. Many studies have been conducted in this area of research. However, the social causes of domestic violence in families in the US society have not yet been exposed by these previous studies (Ciment, 2015). Women and children are the most affected group in the increased domestic violence level of in most families. The reshaping of the nature of domestic violence is eminent in the modern era. The respective effects of domestic violence are also taking a different form. Psychological, physical and sexual abuse continues to be serious social problems in the family set up. The traditional view that women were the only victims and men the abusers is losing meaning in the modern society where both men and women have fallen victims. The results of domestic violence in the society are devastating and worth any effort meant to avert these problems (McCue, 2008). The study, therefore, focuses on examining the social causes of domestic violence with the aim of providing solutions to domestic violence to the families living in the US. Research Objectives To analyse the social causes of domestic violence among the families in the United States. To examine the concept of domestic violence in the modern US society. To analyse the effects of domestic violence on women and children. To identify possible solutions to domestic violence in the families living in the United States. Research Questions What are the social causes of domestic violence among the families in the United States? What is the modern concept of domestic violence in the US society today? What are the effects of domestic violence on women and children? What are the possible solutions to domestic violence among the families living in the United States? Justification of the study The study on the social causes of domestic violence among the families in the United States is a timely, and highly significant research owing to the increased cases of domestic violence. The study will help to suggest the possible solutions to the pragmatic social problem. It will give both the reader and researcher an opportunity to scrutinize the social nature of domestic violence and its effects on the society. Limitations The research design adopted in the study will require a lot of time in the identification, selection and interview process. Time will, therefore, be a limiting factor in maintaining objectivity of the research using the adopted design. The time within which the research must be conducted and added over to the board of examiners is limited. The selection of the participants entails challenges of ensuring that members of varied socioeconomic and educational characters are brought to the interview. The problem of geographical considerations in the choice of the participants will be limited by the geographical placement of the researcher. The nature of the research will involve a lot of travellings that will have high-cost implications for the study. Chapter Three-Methodology Research Design The dissertation will adopt a multiple case study design of the populations residing in the major US cities. The multiple case study design will explore a social phenomenon of multiple cases in detail and enhance the collection of in-depth data that is rich in context from multiple sources (Creswell, 2014). The multiple case study design is preferred for its commonality and uniqueness. It will purpose to hear peoples stories concerning the subject matter of research. The multiple case study design will investigate several instances in order to build an insight into the central phenomenon. Target Population The study shall target the parents of a two-parent family and one child in the family of the age bracket 12-20 years. Sample size The study shall involve ninety participants organized into three groups of thirty participants taken from three major cities in the United States. Each group shall comprise of ten children and twenty parents taken from purposively selected families. Purposive sampling will be used to obtain the respondents. Purposive sampling is particularly preferred in this dissertation for the purpose of obtaining respondents that meet the specified requirements of the research (Bibber & Leavy, 2014). Data Collection Methods and Research Instruments Data shall be collected in two major phases. Phase one of the data collection shall involve the use of questionnaires as research instruments. The respondents will fill in the questionnaires that shall comprise both structured and unstructured questions to ensure that detailed information is solicited. The second phase of data collection shall involve focus group discussions that shall involve the researcher as the moderator on carefully selected elements of the subject matter of research. Key responses shall then be recorded as data during these discussions. Participants The three groups comprising of thirty respondents purposively selected from thirty families shall participate in both the focus group discussions and the filling of the questionnaires. The aim of using three different focus groups will be to solicit different responses on the subject of discussion. The groups will be able to discuss the topics more openly than if they were all combined into one single group. Each of the three groups shall comprise ten children, ten male parents and ten female parents. The participants shall be representative of different educational and socioeconomic classes of the families selected to accommodate varied views. Inclusion Criteria All the parents from a two-parent family with at least a child of between 12 and twenty years regardless their age shall be eligible to participate. One child from each selected family of between 12-20 years shall be eligible to participate. Only thirty children of mixed gender and thirty fathers and thirty mothers shall be allowed to participate. Exclusion Criteria Single parents and children outside the stated age bracket shall not be eligible to participate. Consent Process Adequate time shall be given to the participants to cogitate about the study and understand what participation would mean to each member. Consent of the participants shall be sought prior to the date of the discussions through information sheets that contain brief information about the study. The demographic, educational and socioeconomic details of the family selected shall be noted after a familys consent to participate. An informed consent discussion shall be made on the family grounds of the potential participants. Introduction to the Study The objectives of the overall study shall be explained in detail to the participants at the beginning of each session. Anonymity and confidentiality will be guaranteed for each member to allow them freely make responses during the study. Validity and Reliability of the Research Instruments Similar questions and discussion topics shall be used for the three groups to enhance the reliability of the data collected. Responses shall be screened for consistency during the analysis. To ensure the internal validity of the research instruments, the questionnaires shall first be tested with sampled populations and then reformulated to accommodate the views of the participants. The researcher will enhance the external validity of the findings of the study by making prudent generalizations of the populations beyond the sample tested. The results of the research will carefully be compared to theories and concepts in order to make meaningful conclusions that conform to the real world. Methods of Data Analysis After the collection of data, the collected data will be analysed using qualitative methods. Collected data shall be coded and screened for consistency and reliability. Thematic analysis of the findings of the study shall be made to analyze exclusively the responses made during the study. The work of data coding, screening and analysis are exclusively the roles of the researcher. Findings, conclusions and recommendations shall be done after the data analysis. Ethical Considerations Any possible harm shall be anticipated with the aim of protecting the participants. The right of participants to anonymity and confidentiality shall strictly be observed. The researcher shall fill the ethics form prior to the study to ensure that ethical issues surrounding the study are followed. References Ciment, J. (2015). Social Issues in America. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Creswell, J. (2014). Research design. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications. Finley, L. (2013). Encyclopedia of domestic violence and abuse. Hesse-Biber, S., & Leavy, P. (2014). Approaches to qualitative research. New York: Oxford University Press. McCue, M. (2008). Domestic violence. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. Read More