Research Proposal

Running Head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Research Proposal
University of Phoenix
BSHS/382

Research Proposal The purpose of this research proposal is to explain and answer, why do psychotropic medicines provide stronger results in rehabilitation than therapy alone? The hypothesis: to this equation is adding psychotropic medication to a strong therapeutic program. The result of adding medicine is the reducing of symptoms and increasing well being of the client. Psychotropic medications are any medication capable of affecting the mind, emotions, and behavior. These medications include lithium, peyote, and Psilecybe mushrooms, just to name a few. Many of these psychotropic medications deprive from fungi and plants that are monitored by the government. Most of the Psychotropic medications are highly addictive and are considered narcotics substances.
Elements of Research
The qualitative method of research is indicative of the numbers of patients receiving therapy alone versus those receiving a psychotropic medication and therapy. The numbers represent by this research include the number of female and male participants, age ranges, length of time in therapy, and the amount of time participants are under the therapists care. The results of these numbers will show whether the hypothesis of the use of psychotropic drugs and therapy result in a more pronounced feeling of well-being and a reduction in symptoms. The quantitative method of research using interviews with participants and a detailed description of his or her perceived results in comparison to the interviews of participants who take psychotropic medications for any number of conditions including, depression, PMS, anxiety, and eating disorders.
Survey Design
Survey research designs are procedures in quantitative research in which investigators administer a survey to a sample or to the entire population of people to describe the attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or characteristics of the population. Cross-sectional designs are of several types (Creswell, 2008). Cross-sectional is the survey designed used study to determine if psychotropic medicines provide stronger results in rehabilitation than therapy alone. A cross-sectional study can examine current attitudes, beliefs, opinions, or practices. Attitudes, beliefs, and opinions are ways in which individuals think about issues, whereas practices are their actual behaviors (Creswell, 2008). The cross-sectional design is the most commonly used form of survey design. These surveys ask a group of respondents a set of questions at one point in time. As the name suggests, cross-sectional surveys cross-analyze factors within the data. Popular examples include comparing results among those of different ages, gender, or ethnicity (Types of Survey Design, 2010). Common psychiatric illnesses like anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent all over the world. The prescription of psychotropic medications plays a major role in the management of common mental disorders.

Ethical Considerations
Due to the complex medical, legal, and ethical responsibilities that exposing patients to chemical compounds presents, when conducting a research study on the effects of psychotropic medication on patients, regardless of whether or not they are teaming the medication with therapy for rehabilitation, there are several precautions that must be in place before any treatment, experiment, or observation can begin. The nature of treatment and observation will put clients in a situation where their psychological progress is being monitored, and are possibly being administered medication; therefore, consent should be discussed and acknowledged. In the event that a patient is not legally capable of making this decision to participate, then a power of attorney must be consulted (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 2008). All previous studies on physical responses to the medication being used should be documented for the safety of the patient. All uneccesary risks should be avoided as the benefits of the research should never be overshadowed by the risks that are taken to conduct the study. If the patients whom are being observed are at risk of being traumatized by the experiment, then the design itself is not ethically sound. Patients who participate in the study should be given complimentary debriefing sessions to work through any post treatment anxiety since they are agreeing to have their progress recorded. Finally, many research designs can often mimic one another. This is not uncommon, however, in the event that another’s design is influential enough to motivate the creation of another, to avoid plagerarism, written acknowledgement must be given.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the purpose of this study was to determine if psychotropic medicines provide stronger results in rehabilitation than therapy alone. The use of psychotropic medication to treat psychiatric disorders has surged in recent years. Research from decades of the brain has increased understanding of the brain based nature of mental illness and somatic treatments are increasingly being viewed as the mainstay of psychiatric treatment (Response to Clinical Psychologists Prescribing Psychotropic Medications, November). Researchers use quantitative and qualitative research methods to develop strategies as well as other tools and methodologies to determine if in fact psychotropic medications provide stronger results in rehabilitation than therapy alone. The study includes appropriate measures of reliability and validity. The paper explains the rationale for how proposed designs and conduct the research while minimizing bias. Lastly, this paper summarizes ethical considerations present in the design of the research project. References:
Response to Clinical Psychologists Prescribing Psychotropic Medications. (November). Retrieved August 20, 2010, from www.ispn-psych.org: http://www.ispn-psych.org/docs/11-01prescriptive-authority.pdf

Types of Survey Design. (2010). Retrieved August 23, 2010, from www.studentvoice.com: http://www.studentvoice.com/app/wiki/Types%20of%20survey%20design.ashx Creswell, J. W. (2008). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (3rd Edition) . In J. W. Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (3rd Edition) (pp. 1-690). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

References: Response to Clinical Psychologists Prescribing Psychotropic Medications. (November). Retrieved August 20, 2010, from www.ispn-psych.org: http://www.ispn-psych.org/docs/11-01prescriptive-authority.pdf Types of Survey Design. (2010). Retrieved August 23, 2010, from www.studentvoice.com: http://www.studentvoice.com/app/wiki/Types%20of%20survey%20design.ashx Creswell, J. W. (2008). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (3rd Edition) . In J. W. Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (3rd Edition) (pp. 1-690). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.