Research Design for the Behavioral Sciences: An Applied Approach

by Stephen V. Flynn PhD, LPC, LMFT-S, NCC, ACS (Editor)

Overview

"I wholeheartedly invite counselor trainees and counselors into this journey of growing the research component of their professional identity... Flynn and his colleagues prepare counselor trainees and counselors for this journey well and guide them carefully toward researcher competency. In an approachable and developmentally appropriate manner, they highlight for the profession the value of research and how it can be conducted."

- Danica G. Hays, PhD

American Counseling Fellow

Professor and Executive Associate Dean

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Research Design for the Behavioral Sciences fills an important gap for the helping professions by offering a blueprint for advanced concepts and an applied approach to understanding quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research design. This graduate-level text seamlessly weaves together the philosophy, science, and practical application of the most common methodological frameworks in practice. Advanced research design concepts are presented through clear and in-depth blueprints, applied case studies, myriad examples, and helpful learning activities.

Written in detailed yet accessible language, this text describes the foundations of behavioral science research. The authors explore research-based philosophical integration, along with the technical application of every tradition. Through this philosophical and pragmatic approach, students will be able to attain a well-rounded and comprehensive understanding of behavioral science research.

This text provides students with the opportunity to reach a greater level of research efficacy though the inclusion of methodological procedures, data analysis methods, reliability/validity standards, ethics, and directions on how to increase the rigor of each approach to research. Instructor resources include an instructor's manual, learning activities, test bank, and PowerPoints. Purchase includes digital access for use on most mobile devices and computers.

Key Features:

• Provides clear, detailed, and contextually accurate examples of writing, quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods procedures
• Reviews the paradigmatic hierarchy of each research tradition along with key analytic features in detail
• Delivers instructions for enhancing the methodological rigor of each approach
• Analyzes methodology-specific multicultural issues
• Demonstrates the application of a wide range of research methodologies with case studies
• Reviews the trends and history in research for counseling, psychology, social work, and marriage and family therapy
• Offers comprehensive instructor resources including manual, learning activities, test bank, and PowerPoint slides

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826143853
Publisher:	Springer Publishing Company
Publication date:	02/17/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	500
File size:	29 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Stephen V. Flynn, PhD, LPC, LMFT-S, NCC, ACS, is a professor of counselor education, a research fellow, the founding director of the Marriage and Family Therapy program, and the Play Therapy program coordinator at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire. Dr. Flynn earned his MA degree from Rowan University and his PhD from the University of Northern Colorado. He teaches counseling; couple, marriage, and family; child and adolescent; and research and writing courses for the Counselor Education, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Educational Leadership graduate programs at Plymouth State University. He is a licensed professional counselor (Colorado), a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT; Colorado, New Hampshire), a national certified counselor, an approved clinical supervisor, an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) clinical fellow, and an AAMFT approved supervisor.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Introduction, History, and Writing

1. Understanding Research and Ethics
2. History of Research in the Social Sciences
3. A Guide to the Literature Review and APA Style

Part 2: Quantitative Research

1. Descriptive, Inferential, and Bayesian Statistics
2. Experimental Research
3. Prediction Research
4. Single Case Design Research
5. Survey Research
6. Content Analysis Research

Part 3: Qualitative Research

1. Case Study Research
2. Phenomenological Research
3. Grounded Theory Research
4. Narrative Research
5. Consensual Qualitative Research

Part 4: Mixed Methods Research

1. Action Research
2. Mixed Methods Research: Convergent and Embedded Designs
3. Mixed Methods Research: Explanatory and Exploratory Designs
4. Mixed Methods Research: Transformative and Multiphase Designs

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Gary B Kaniuk, PsyD (Cermak Health Services)
Description: This book explores the underlying philosophy and concepts of current methodologies currently used in the behavioral sciences, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research. The accompanying digital version also includes instructor resources.
Purpose: The purpose is to offer "a blueprint for advanced concepts and an applied approach to understanding quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research design." Presenting the material in print and online definitely adds value because of accessibility and the number of instructor resources.
Audience: The intended audience is "students enrolled in doctoral and advanced master's degree programs," but clinicians and researchers would benefit greatly as well. The author and contributors are from academic institutions in the U.S.
Features: The introduction emphasizes the importance of ethics in research in order to protect participants and share meaningful data with the world. The authors explore the history of social science research from the 16th century forward and the influence of one's world view. They discuss the importance of academic writing, especially in relation to the seventh edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) publication manual. Part II describes quantitative research, discussing various measurement scales and measures of central tendency along with an analysis of variance. They note experimental research aids in understanding the relationship between the independent and dependent variable. Researchers can use single case or group research design. Part III focuses on qualitative research, of which case studies are a good example. The authors note a phenomenological approach to research can be very helpful as well. Dr. Clara E. Hill introduced CQR (consensual qualitative research), an inductive method using open-ended questions. Part IV covers mixed methods research. Examples include action research, which asks practical/relevant questions, and explanatory and exploratory designs. The book is very readable and contains numerous tables/figures.
Assessment: This excellent book provides a basic foundation for research in the social sciences and explores quantitative, qualitative, and mixed design methodologies. Graduate students will benefit greatly from this material.

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