Research Process

I have chosen the topic of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) with a focus on children who have other disabilities such as a ADHD.  The topic intrigues me because I have most recently encountered children in my program who have been diagnosed as ODD and are being treated for ADHD, and children who are exhibiting extreme and often times erratic, defiant and destructive behavior in the classroom.  I have been very reflective because I want to provide these children every opportunity to grow in a positive, nurturing environment.  I am at times at a loss because the behavior can be overwhelming and difficult.  I was curious to find out if other conditions were present in children with ODD and if there was a connection that exacerbated ODD.   Within this research, I have also been searching for information and resources to provide teaching teams and parents with support and strategies as well better understanding of the behavior. 

I was uncertain at the start of the process because I thought it would be difficult to find adequate material on the subject.  Once you begin such a process, you are not sure if you are pursuing the process in the correct manner, or when finding appropriate research are you going to fully understand and be able to interpret what is being read.  For me, Google is a good place to start a very general and broad search.  I did this to see if my ideas on the subject were valid.  Doing research is not a new concept for me; however the topic of the research is far different.  My extensive research experience is in terms of historical research as it pertains to news events, sports events and historical events.  There certainly was not any interpretation of statistics nor did findings need to be applied to every day practice.  I am at an advantage during this stage of the research game.  I not only have resources from previous course work, but I also have the Walden Library link at my disposal.  I often use pro-quest and did during this process. 

In my research I was surprised to find that children with ODD have difficulty relating to peers and adults, rather than just having the inability to contort their emotions and reactions.  Children can be successful socially as well as academically, but appropriate use and exposure to different strategies must be in place (Schachar, & Wachsmuth, 1990).  

How did others approach the research process?  Did anyone find they had too much material?  How did you pull what was important from the material? 

References

Schachar, R., Wachsmuth, R. (1990). Oppositional Disorder in Children: A Validation Study Comparing Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Disorder and Normal Control Children.  Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31, 1089-1102.