06 Aug The Impact of Friendship on Mental Health Amongst Adolescents
Requirements: long
The Impact of Friendship on Mental Health Amongst Adolescents
Khalid alfahaid
220110038
1.0 Literature review
Adolescence is a critical period marked by significant changes in social relationships and mental health. Also, one crucial aspect of this developmental stage is friendship’s impact on adolescents’ mental well-being. Furthermore, the influence of close friendship strength and broader peer group desirability on adolescent mental health is crucial for adolescent well-being. Moreover, friendship plays an important role in mitigating depression risk factors such as stress and trauma. Ultimately, this paper sheds light on the importance of friendship interventions and the social context surrounding adolescent mental health and offers valuable insights for future and policy changes.
The impact of friendship on depression risk factors among adolescents is significant. In the study by Gossage et al. (2022) found out if there is a significant amount of social support from friends in buffering risk factors like family conflict and academic stress and how friendship networks provide emotional support leading to lower depression risk among adolescents. On the other hand, Manchanda et al. (2023) revealed that peer support programs and social skill building activities could facilitate the development of strong and supportive friendships, thereby improving adolescent mental health outcomes. Furthermore, both studies underscore the importance of friendship in mitigating depression risk factors.
Similarly, the study by Nar et al. (2019) revealed that the quality of close friendships during adolescence directly influenced mental health. In comparison, Hartas (2021) investigated the social context of adolescent mental health and found there was a positive impact of strong friendship on adolescent mental health well-being. Although both studies emphasize the importance of friendship for mental well-being, Narr et al. reliance on self-reported data and Hartas broader scope might present limitations. However, both articles provide valuable insights into the role of friendships in shaping adolescent mental health outcomes.
In conclusion, friendship plays a significant role in adolescent mental health. Also, the influence of friendship and peer group desirability helps in mitigating depression risk factors and improves mental health. Furthermore, the quality of friendship influences mental health outcomes. However, this paper identified gaps in information, including the need for more research on friendship interventions effectiveness in diverse settings and the exploration of peer group dynamics. Therefore, the research aims to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the vital role friendships play in shaping adolescent mental well-being and inform potential interventions to mental health among adolescents
2.1 The Methodology
2.2 Research question:
How does the quality of friendships and the desirability of peer groups influence the mental health of adolescents?
2.3 hypothesis
The hypothesis for the paper is that strong and supportive friendships, as well as desirable peer groups, are associated with reduced depression risk factors and better mental health outcomes among adolescents.
2.4 Research Design
The study adopted a cross-sectional research design that involves collecting data at a specific period to examine the relationship between friendship, peer group desirability, and adolescent mental health. In addition, the researchers used mixed method approach, collecting both qualitative and quantitative data to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the topic.
2.4 Population and Sample
Similarly, the target population of the studies was adolescents aged 13 to 18 years who come from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and educational settings. However, the sample population was selected through stratified random sampling technique to ensure a representative distribution of participants across different age groups, genders, and educational institutions.
2.5 Ethical considerations
The study adhered to the ethical requirements of scientific studies by first getting approval from ethics committee. Participants and their parents or legal guardians signed consent form before data collection. Finally, the identity of the participants was kept confidential, and the participants reserve the right to discontinue form the research at any stage with no consequence.
2.6 Data collections tools
Moreover, this research involved different data collection tools. First, a structured questionnaire was administered to gather quantitative data, including demographic information, friendship quality, peer group desirability, and measures of mental health outcomes, such as depression levels and overall well-being. Secondly, focus group discussions and interviews will be conducted to explore the participants’ experiences with friendships and how these experiences have impacted their mental health.
2.7 Data Analysis
The final step in the study was the data analysis where quantitative data was used and analyzed using a relevant statistical software and by applying an appropriate statistical test to determine correlations between friendship quality, peer group desirability, and mental health outcomes. In addition, qualitative data from focus groups and interviews was analyzed to identify recurring patterns and themes related to friendship’s impact on mental well-being.
References
Gossage, L., Narayanan, A., Dipnall, J. F., Iusitini, L., Sumich, A., Berk, M., Wrapson, W., Tautolo, E. S., & Siegert, R. (2022). Risk factors for depression in Pacific adolescents in New Zealand: A network analysis. Journal of affective disorders, 311, 373–382.
Manchanda T, Stein A, Fazel M. (2023). Investigating the Role of Friendship Interventions on the Mental Health Outcomes of Adolescents: A Scoping Review of Range and a Systematic Review of Effectiveness. Int J Environ Res Public Health.
Narr, R. K., Allen, J. P., Tan, J. S., & Loeb, E. L. (2019). Close Friendship Strength and Broader Peer Group Desirability as Differential Predictors of Adult Mental Health. Child development, 90(1), 298–313.
Hartas, D. (2021). The social context of adolescent mental health and wellbeing: Parents, friends, and social media. Research Papers in Education, 36(5), 542-560.
Stage 3: The Expected Findings Guidelines
Final Deadline: 4 December 2022 at 11:59 PM
Submission: Electronically via LMS
Length: 300-400 Words
Value: 2% of total grade and FEEDBACK
At this point in time, you should be well aware of the general direction your research proposal is going. This means you now need to explain the expected findings. In published research papers you may see it written as the results section.
You should write two paragraphs in the expected findings section.
In paragraph 1, summarize your research proposal. Start with the main points of your literature review, then summarize the methodology section (Stage 2).
In paragraph 2, write down what you expect to find in your research study. Do you think your hypothesis will prove correct at the end of the research? Also, write down the importance of your study – who will benefit from your study?
Literature Review Instructions (Stage # 1)
Final Deadline: Week 7
Submission: Electronically via LMS
Length: Appx 500 words
Value: 2% of total grade + FEEDBACK
By now, you should have an idea of the topic that you want to research. This means that you now have to identify relevant literature. You should conduct your literature review with the following steps:
Step 1: Review APA 7th Edition guidelines
Become familiar with the rules of how to write in APA style: in particular, pay attention to general document guidelines (e.g. font, margins, and spacing), title page, introduction, body, text citation, and work cited page.
Your literature review should consist of the following:
A separate title page
Introduction paragraph
2 body paragraphs which is where you will be referencing the literature
4+ references
(I recommend 2 from LMS (You can find them in Week 3) and 2 from other online sources.)
Conclusion paragraph
A separate references page
500+ (NOT 499!!) words in total including everything, even the references
Step 2: Choose a topic (argumentative) from the given list.
You can choose and further narrow down any of the following topics. You can also choose a topic other than these. Please consult with me before starting your work on any of your own choice topics.
The effect of friendship on emotional health of undergraduate students
Undergraduate students’ preferred learning styles during Covid-19
English language anxiety of PYP students
Difference in learning styles among high school students during online and on-campus classes
Gender differences in learning styles among undergraduate students
Also, up to you
Step 3: Research and identify the literature by selecting (4 journal articles) that you will review to support your research paper. You can choose one or two articles from the folder provided in your moodle account. The remaining articles should be searched for and selected by you.
Narrow your topic. As you review sources, you will quickly discover if your topic is too broad. Narrow it down.
Step 4: Analyze the literature related to the issue you will write about.
Once you have identified and located the articles for your review, you need to analyze them and organize them before you begin writing:
Overview the articles: skim the articles to get an idea of the general purpose and content of the article. Focus your reading on the abstract, introduction and research design/methodology, limitations and the conclusion of each article.
Group the articles into categories/themes
Take notes:
Define key terms: look for differences in the way key terms are defined.
Note key statistics that you may want to use in the introduction to your review
Note emphases, strengths & weaknesses: Since different research studies focus on different aspects of the issue being studied, each article that you read will have different emphases, strengths and weaknesses.
Your role as a reviewer is to summarize and evaluate what you read, so that your review is not a mere description of different articles, but rather a critical analysis that makes sense of the collection of articles that you are reviewing.
Keep your literature review focused on your topic! Make sure that the articles you find are relevant and directly related to your topic.
Step 5: Organize the sources and write your Literature Review
Using the notes you have taken, develop your literature review.
You should have:
Introduction: background information about the topic + a thesis statement about the two main themes you will discuss in your body paragraphs.
Two body paragraphs: Each body paragraph should contain summaries of 2 articles and your analysis. The analysis should include the following elements:
How are the articles alike,
How are the articles different,
A critique of a source / sources
Conclusion: summary of the main points. Also, identify the “gap(s) in information” / issues that all the article missed. State what your research is trying to explore.
Important Reminders:
Formal language only
You must ask your instructor to approve the articles before you start working on them
DO NOT PLAGIARIZE
You will be graded on all levels- including spelling, grammar, sentence structure
You must have 4 paragraphs (500+ words)
APA style only
Submit your Literature Review on Moodle via Turn-it-in
Late submissions are completely allowed, but you just don’t get your 2% on-time mark.
Stage 2 (The Methodology)
Assignment in Brief
Topic: Stage 2 – The Methodology
Total Value: 2 Points, feedback is given
Due: November 17, 2022, at 11:59 PM (By LMS)
Length: Appx. 500-600 words
The Methodology
Content:
Write down the following in your Stage 2
Research question and hypothesis
Research Design
Population and Sample
Ethical considerations
Data collection tools
Data analysis
In this phase of your research proposal, you should describe each item in as much detail as possible. Proofread your work before submitting on Moodle.
Writing Tasks
Write this section with the following features:
Word range – at least (500 – 600 words)
APA 7th ed. style formatting, citations, and references
Times New Roman, 12-point font
Double Spaced
Page numbers
One-inch margins
