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Data Collection and Analysis
Data Collection and Analysis
Masters of Social Work Program
Capella University
Eden Ryan
11/26/2023
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Data Collection and Analysis
Introduction
In recent years, especially when the pandemic occurred, the rise of device and technology use
has increased exponentially. Since the pandemic, it seems to have decreased a minuscule amount,
however, there is cause for concern regarding children and youth and problematic internet use and/or
internet addiction, addiction to social networking and social media, gaming, and devices. These
particular addictions are grouped under a set of addictions known as behavioral addictions, however,
may display the same symptomology as substance use disorders (Turhan Gürbüz et al., 2021).
Neuroimaging was conducted on adolescents with internet addictions and internet gaming
addictions and results showed consistencies in low gray matter within various areas of the brain, such
as left insula, left anterior and posterior cingulate cortex regions, and decreased gray matter in areas of
the prefrontal cortex (PFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and cerebellum. Addiction and substance use
disorders have already been determined to be associated with damage to the PFC and the weakening of
gray matter has been linked to loss of control. It has been found that the OFC assists with regulating
impulse control and the ability to make decisions and through the science of neuroimaging, it has been
suggested that the insula is definitively responsible for the desire to engage in the use of addictive
substances (Park et al., 2016).
Between the neuroscience behind addiction and the development of, as well as the
biopsychosocial components of addiction, it is concerning for our youth, our society, and the future of
all relationships. Internet addiction, smartphone and excessive device usage, social media, and all other
forms of technology—while there are many benefits and necessary reasons for the advancements, it
seems that protective measures need to be explored, for the possibilities of worsening disorders could
potentially develop.
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Data Collection and Analysis
Research Question
The overarching question to be investigated is, does child--or youth--excessive
technology/internet use eventually lead to a subsequent substance use disorder/addiction? There is a
subset questions to be explored-- are there ways to deter the development of an internet addiction in
children or youth? How can we approach the reversal of any current internet addiction or device issues
with the least amount of trauma or resistance from the family and child?
Participants
The participants of this study will be children and adolescents from the ages of 7-15, who reside
in a rural area. These children all attend a public school and the socioeconomic status of the parents
will vary, as will the factor of two-parent households to single-parent households. The background of
each child and the demographic will be intentionally open-ended. The school chosen is one that has
expressed numerous complaints about student abuse of technology and extreme behavioral responses
when given consequences by faculty. Several referrals for counseling were made by the school to the
agency for which I'm employed. In addition, other counselors of the agency have shared how their
adult clients have expressed concern regarding their children's behavior and emotional responses
regarding phone, tablet, and video games use—many of whom are students in local, area schools.
Data
Qualitative methods will be used to gather information from the participants. Qualitative
methods are often used when a researcher wishes to investigate topics where little information may be
known or available, or considered a delicate topic and one that could spark a deep, emotional response.
These methods are also used to develop a broad, comprehensive understanding of why an event occurs.
Qualitative research allows for flexibility of method and does not demand to be structured.
Utilizing the qualitative framework of interpretivism can assist in assessing some of the determinants
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Data Collection and Analysis
causing the issues at the school. This is because it delves into the analyses of the "whys" of someone's
behaviors and what is leading them to make the choices they're making. What are their motivating
factors? Qualitative research method allows for data and results to occur naturally, within its own
environment, then to be analyzed and interpreted by the researchers. It also permits the freedom to
examine and research new phenomena that isn't well-known or hasn't been thoroughly studied yet
(Engel & Schutt, 2017) (Yegidis et al., 2018).
Data Collection
A letter will be sent home from the school regarding an informal study being conducted about
technology use amongst children and youth and possible negative impacts it's having on their well-
being. The letter would include a parental consent for participation, for both the parent and child. The
study would also be incentivized, for example, each participant's family would receive a $25 dollar gift
card once all interviews, and any consequential observations, have concluded for that participant.
It is known that during school hours, students utilize devices, such as Chromebooks and tablets,
as some of the classes require access to certain programs or applications for homework assignments,
emailing their teachers, learning centers, projects, or various other educational purposes. Permissible
smartphone use will be assessed prior to interviews. School staff will be asked about their policies on
student smartphone use and if the participating students abide by such rules. If not, what consequences
follow? What are their reactions to those consequences? Are the rules for smartphones universal or
different per classroom or grade level? All policies regarding technology devices will be reviewed and
known by all researchers before any interviews or data collection begin.
Unstructured interviews will be conducted with both the children/adolescent participants,
followed by their parent(s) or guardian(s). These interviews will be presented in an informal and more
conversational format, in a location preferable to the adult interviewee. The questions will initially
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Data Collection and Analysis
start as non-intrusive and more rapport-based, leading up to questions involving the parental
backgrounds-- what a typical evening looks like at home, does their child have friends, how many
hours would they guess they're on a device, does their child have a psychiatric disorder, do they engage
in extra-curricular activities, does the parent have a family history of mental health or substance use
disorders, do they monitor the child's device use with parental controls, etc. Attached to this analysis
are references of questions that will be used during the interview process.
If the interviewee, or interviewees, indicate a moderate to strong correlation between excessive
tech/device use and extreme emotional and behavioral dysregulation or mental health issues, the parent
or guardian, will then be asked to consent to unstructured observation of their child in the school
setting. The amount of observations conducted would be determined based on the child's state of
emotional/mental/behavioral reactivity regarding device/technology.
During those observations, note-taking will occur to ensure proper documentation and
recollection of facts and to determine any patterns in the behavior, triggers, or other influences, as well
as what the emotional and behavioral issues consist of and how the school personnel handle the student
while in the escalated state. If the participant's displaying severe dysregulation, further consultation
would be discussed for possible observation within the home to explore the dynamic at home and the
role technology plays within the familial unit, as well as parental roles in regulating device/technology
use.
The number of in-home observations will be on a case-by-case basis, depending on how the
presence of the researcher is impacting the family dynamic, as the overall basis of the study is to
conduct research to determine correlations, explore possible contributors to the maladaptive behaviors,
and assist in diverting the possibility of these students of one day developing a more severe, life-
threatening addiction.
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Data Collection and Analysis
Data Interpretation
Since interviews and observations are the two ways the data is being collected, the data that will
be interpreted will be subjective, as it will be based on the children/youth and their parent/guardian's
thoughts, feelings, and perceptions about their device and internet use. Therefore, the notes that have
been taken by the researchers during the interviews and observations will be organized and categorized
based on demographic background and the answers provided by the parents during the interviews.
The transcribed interviews will be initially sorted by two-parent, single-parent, and other
guardian households. Further subcategories will be created, such as parental history of mental health or
substance use issues, child mental health diagnosis, socioeconomic status, and child peer group.
Similarities will also be examined between the children/youth who displayed more behavioral outbursts
and categorized for further analysis.
By thoroughly analyzing all of the interview and observation material, there's a possibility we
can assess some commonalities and see any patterns within the children/youth and the adults in their
lives. This also assists with developing additional theories necessary for further research on this matter
that could be useful for comparative analysis, if this were to be conducted again, in other local schools.
Audience and Medium
Because this study was conducted based on the deep concerns of school personnel and verbal
disclosures of the behavior of their child in the home, the final data analysis will be presented to the
school faculty that work directly work with students, on a daily basis. The faculty will be given full-
disclosure and presented in a report format, including direct quotes from the parents and youth
interviewed. Also included will be important researcher notes of in-home observations, detailing other
prospective reasons the child/youth could be exhibiting the problematic behavior in the school.
The school will then keep their copy of the analyses and the researchers will then take the report
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Data Collection and Analysis
to back to their agency to present to their board of directors-- the names of the participants have been
redacted for confidentiality purposes. The aim is to begin the process of exploring the idea of creating
a form of technological device crisis intervention program, that will incorporate helping professionals
to work with families who suffer with internet additions or issues with devices that are causing
significant problems in their family unit.
Conclusion
The impact of devices and internet and the damage it does to the brain, when used excessively,
is being investigated by scientists. Neuroimaging has determined the areas of the brain responsible for
impulse control and motivation for wanting to try addictive substances. Unlike substance use
disorders, internet addictions and the use of devices are behavioral and have increasingly become a
problem in an area, rural school. So much so, they reached out to a local mental health agency who
conducted a study and the final analysis correlated with the new and up and coming research being
released.
The children tended to exhibit extreme, negative behavior when they lost a device or internet
privilege. Similar to that of someone struggling with substance use. Most of those behaviors were
presented in the schools, rather than at home, as the parents usually allowed the youth/children to
engage in the device use in the evening. Among those, there were several other potential components
that could be contributors to the maladaptive behaviors in the children/youth and it warrants further
research.
It is concerning for the future of this society, as technology is constantly evolving, as is the
same as drugs and other mind-altering substances. What is more worrisome, is that a lot of the parts of
the brain that are responsible for the development of substance use disorders, are possibly being
gravely effected by devices, ultimately hindering the cognitive development of children and youth.
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Data Collection and Analysis
Additional studies need to be conducted, with different age groups, in various geographical
areas. Once the qualitative research has been completed and analyzed from all participating schools,
the results can then be formed into quantitative numerical measures and provided to a broader network
of professionals and providers.
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Data Collection and Analysis
References
Engel, R. J., & Schutt, R. K. (2017). The practice of research in social work. Sage.
Park, B., Han, D. H., & Roh, S. (2016). Neurobiological findings related to Internet use disorders.
Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 71(7), 467–478. https://doi.org/10.1111/pcn.12422
Turhan Gürbüz, P., Çoban, Ö. G., Erdoğan, A., Kopuz, H. Y., Adanir, A. S., & Önder, A. (2021).
Evaluation of Internet Gaming Disorder, Social Media Addiction, and Levels of Loneliness in
Adolescents and Youth with Substance Use. Substance Use & Misuse, 56(12), 1–6.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2021.1958856
Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018). Research Methods For Social Workers (8th
ed.). Pearson.
