Stigma and its Correlates in Patients with Schizophrenia 

Assignment Task

This report explores the stigmatization of people living with schizophrenia. Possible research methods and relevant data analyses that can be used to address the issue are presented.

Firstly, questionnaires are a common research tool to collect data from a larger group of people and are mostly used in surveys. They are used in quantitative design or mixed methods design (Creswell, (2013). A questionnaire consists of several questions designed to elicit responses from respondents. They can be asked orally, electronically, by mail, or by telephone. Depending on the topic of the study, questions may be open-ended, closed-ended, or occasionally include both (Vogt et al. 2012). One of the advantages of questionnaires is that they are inexpensive because they can be distributed to many people in a short period of time, especially if they are self-completed. They are flexible for respondents, as they can fill them out whenever they want (this mostly applies to online surveys) They are anonymous, which may encourage participants to explain their answers and be honest, and the questions are predetermined, which facilitates analysis and interpretation of the data. In addition, all respondents are asked the same questions in the same order, suggesting that the reliability of a questionnaire can be increased if a second researcher copies it to ensure the accuracy of the results. (Creswell & Creswell, 2018)

However, the disadvantage of using a questionnaire is that they can be costly if conducted face-face because you need more people to conduct the survey and need more researchers. Time consuming if the procedure is in personal survey and cheap if conducted online. Where primary material is accessible, it gives secondary evidence, which results in low validity and reliability. Due to misunderstandings or ambiguities in the questions, there is a significant nonresponsive rate, and some of the questions go unanswered or are overlooked. Risk of collecting wrong and incomplete forms due to misunderstanding of the question and interpretation. Feelings and emotions are difficult to express hence it's not helpful in finding information about complex subjects. Data may be difficult to analyses if unresponsive also may give a biased sample (Vogt et al. 2012). There is less room for respondents to give responses that truly reflect their thoughts on subjects.

Although questionnaires are routinely used to collect data, Due to the nature of the condition, using a questionnaire might be challenging for those who have schizophrenia. The mental illness schizophrenia is characterized by a variety of symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, slurred speech, and trouble focusing and thinking. People who experience these symptoms may find it challenging to comprehend instructions, follow them, and provide appropriate responses to questions. Furthermore, those who have schizophrenia may struggle to verbalize their ideas and feelings, which can make it challenging to provide truthful responses to questionnaire questions. Additionally, the symptoms of schizophrenia can make a person easily overwhelmed, which can make it challenging to concentrate on and finish a questionnaire hence risk of collecting wrong and incomplete forms due to misunderstanding of the question and interpretation. (Glatt et al., 2019). Because of these factors, questionnaire is not the best technique to be used

 In depth semi structured interview is another method that can be used to collect data, which consist of open –ended questions, these involves one to one interview with a small group of respondents in order to learn about their viewpoint on a certain concepts or circumstances as to (Habib et al, 2014). These are mostly used in qualitative design as researcher seeks a better understanding of the phenomenon about people’s feelings, beliefs and their life experience. One of the benefits of semi-structured interviews is that they produce rich data since more information is systematically collected, and participants can provide more information and ask questions that shed light on the topics being addressed. They offer informal setting for gathering information as participants may feel comfortable talking about their life situation, Leavy, 2017).it allows the researcher to delve deeply into participants experiences, behaviour feelings and attitudes which uncover underlying the concepts Participants are given the chance to express themselves freely and make more detailed comments as enables the interviewer to freely ask and follow-up questions and elicit further information. Additionally useful for gathering data on touchy subjects and keeping an eye on sentiments and emotions (Durdella, 2018).

On the other hand, the main disadvantage of a semi-structured interview small sample as such that the results cannot be generalized. high chances of bias in research because it relies on the individual interpretation of the researcher such as findings of the study, also result in observer bias because open-ended questions can induce interviewers to offer prejudicial questions, low reliability as semi-structured interviews' adaptability may potentially reduce their validity. time consuming than other types of interviews because the interviewer must take time to allow the interviewee to respond to all questions being asked. (Habib et al. (2014). They can be difficult to analyse (Leavy (2017).

Similarly semi-structured interviews rely on the patient's capacity to give precise and thorough answers, they are not appropriate for use with schizophrenia patients. Schizophrenia can affect a person's capacity for clear thinking and efficient communication, making it challenging for them to deliver the degree of detail required for a semi-structured interview. The interviewer also needs to be able to decipher the patient's comments and offer follow-up questions, which can be challenging while the patient is going through psychosis. Due to these factors, semi-structured interviews should not be used with patients who have schizophrenia (Glatt et al., 2019). 

Proposed Design

it will employ qualitative research design, and data will be collected because it seeks to acquire insights into people's experiences, uncover beliefs behavior, and attitudes of a particular group of people to comprehend a certain phenomenon better, explore the underlying reasons, and opinions why the issues are very important to them according to Creswell(2018), for instance in this scenario the researcher wants to gain an understanding of the participant's subjective experience of stigma and how does it affect their daily lives in their perspective. Harper and Thompson (2011)

Data collection method 

Focus group discussion will be used. Is a qualitative research tool used to obtain information through interviews from a chosen group of people on a certain predetermined subject. (Hennink, (2014). According to Giddens & Sutton (2019) focus group consist of 6- 12 with similar interest and a homogenous group people for instance the subject of the matter is stigma among people with schizophrenia the groups will only consist of people with this condition. 

Participant and recruitment 

Participants will be purposively selected, participants sharing common characteristics or traits (Harper & Thompson, 2011b). forty-five participants, consisting of 27 males and 18 females, as prevalence rates are higher in males than females, will be recruited from outpatient services of mental health organizations. Who are diagnosed with schizophrenia. All are in a post-acute phase of illness, defined by not having been hospitalized or changed medications and having lived with the illness for more than four years. In addition, participants should have the mental capacity state that can understand their illness and express their experiences before and after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. Each group will consist of 9 members.

Materials 

These are basic tools needed when conducting focus group discussions. They include a focus group guide, pen, notepad, a tape recorder, pen and markers, consent forms for participants, a clock, flip chat (can be used to write down ideas or lists), signature sheets, and incentives (water/snacks).

Procedure 

A total of 5 focus group will be conducted, informed consent approval to mental health organisation services Prio to the start of recruiting of participants. providing them with flyers to disturbed to potential participants explaining the purpose of the study. The flyer includes information about the study, contact information for the participant to call or email if interested in participating. Individuals who express interest in participating will be screened by their clinics to determine if they meet the identification criteria. Then, participants who meet the eligibility criteria will be given an informed consent form confirming that they agree to participate. The participants will be able to schedule the interviews at a time and place that works for them.

In addition, the focus discussion guide will consist of 10 open-ended questions that can be used as a tool to guide for the discussions. Each group session will last one hour and ten minutes. Participants will be reminded that participation is voluntary and that they can drop out at any time without giving a reason (Leavy (2017). The researcher will discuss the topic and outline the goal of the focus group. The interview will begin with exploratory questions, main topics, and expanding the discussion based on participants' responses, describe all components of the interview, expectations of the interview, and conclude with assurances regarding the handling of data collected, confidentiality, study results, and answering questions asked during the interview process. Five focus group interviews have been found to be sufficient to achieve data saturation

Analysis 

Thematic analysis will be used to analyse data. Because the researcher seeks to understand a set of thoughts, experiences or behaviour across the data.it involves describing data, interpreting the process of selecting codes or categories in developing themes. (Braun & Clarke,2021).

Ethical consideration

Informed consent will be given to all participants, and it will be ensured that no harm will come to all participants, as most participants are mentally incapacitated. Participant privacy and confidentiality will be considered, and autonomy is respected (Habib et al., 2014). Participants' concerns will be acknowledged, and It's their choice to participate, they are free to withdrawal from the study at any point without giving reason. 

Regarding the sample size of the study is small it prevents statistically significant generalization of responses to the larger larger population the results may represent t the larger portion of the community (Leavy, 2017). Due to the need of homogenous groups in recruiting focus group participants may be challenged. Additionally, discussion in focus group cannot presume to be confidential as participants may be less motivated to speak up sensitive issues and avoid criticism.

Justification for the chosen methods 

Focus group discussion is a qualitative method design that is an appropriate tool to gather information from people with schizophrenia because it gives them the opportunity to talk about their feelings and experiences in a comfortable and encouraging environment. The researcher can gain access to participants' ideas and beliefs and explore differences in their condition. In addition, this strategy allows participants to connect with each other and develop a sense of community that can help them cope and participate in the research project (Hennink, 2014). In addition, participants will have the opportunity to disagree or agree on points that highlight each person's perspective on the topic being discussed, such as how are they stigmatized?

In addition, the ideas, values, and viewpoints of the participants within each group are explored, fostering a sense of belonging and participation. Instead of interviewing just one person in an hour or two, you can interview numerous people. This interaction among participants also increases the quality of the data by weeding out inaccuracies or extreme viewpoints because participants have a desire to check in with each other and balance each other out. Because participants share common characteristics and experiences with stigma, the methods also provide valuable data (Hennink, 2014).

It requires less time, money, resources, and preparation time to conduct the study than other types of data collection methods. Focus groups are a low-cost method that can be used to quickly and effectively interview more people at once. Researchers can glean information from the nonverbal responses of group members to support verbal responses, and they also allow for in-depth discussions and clarification or elaboration of questions when participants are unclear. Consequently, this is a fantastic strategy for talking with individuals suffering from schizophrenia.

Thematic analysis

Thematic analysis is a systematic process used to analyze and explain patterns across analytical databases. It is used to identify common or general meanings from a group of experiences, thoughts, or behaviors. This technique is useful when trying to understand a larger data set but is less appropriate for examining unique meanings or experiences of an individual or data item (Braun & Clarke, 2021). This approach is a relevant and helpful tool to uncover patterns and meanings that may not be obvious when looking at the data as a whole. When attempting to comprehend a group of experiences, thoughts, or behaviors present throughout a data collection, thematic analysis is a suitable and effective technique to employ (Braun & Clarke, 2021). It is less suitable for investigating unique meanings or experiences from a particular person or data item because it is geared to look for shared or common meanings.

Thematic analysis is the easiest to understand and use compared to many other qualitative techniques. It is a great technique for data analysis that is accessible to less experienced researchers and provides a helpful way to highlight, summarize, and evaluate a variety of data sets. Furthermore, Braun and Clarke (2013) suggest that researchers should use it as their first qualitative analysis method, due to its versatility and the fact that many other types of qualitative analysis build on its approaches. It is clear that Thematic analysis is an invaluable tool for researchers.

I completely agree with the statement that thematic analysis is an incredibly adaptable technique that can be used in conjunction with other qualitative research approaches. Moreover, its flexibility is a major advantage, as researchers have the freedom to choose the theoretical and/or epistemological framework they wish to apply and to analyze data using an inductive, data-driven approach. This makes thematic analysis an invaluable tool for researchers looking to gain insights from qualitative data.

The flexibility of thematic analysis is both a strength and a weakness. While it is advantageous in that it allows researchers to tailor their analysis to the specific research question, it can also be seen as a disadvantage because it can give the impression to some that it is not a rigorous methodology (Braun & Clarke, 2021). Furthermore, the versatility of the method can make it difficult for certain researchers to decide which data points to emphasise and/or which theoretical or epistemological framework to use in their analysis. Additionally, like any analytical technique, thematic analysis can be used in inappropriate ways. Thematic analysis has historically been more prone to inconsistent or inaccurate terminology, unlike other methods with better defined and less flexible frameworks. These ambiguities make it difficult to evaluate work that uses or claims to use thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021). Despite these drawbacks, thematic analysis is still a valuable tool for qualitative research and can provide valuable insights when used correctly.

To conclude, it is clear that employing the appropriate research approaches and methods is essential in order to effectively address any issue. These research approaches and methods involve the development of tools for data collection, ethical consideration, recruitment, data analysis tools, procedures, and materials used to establish facts and reach new conclusions. It is evident that these steps are necessary in order to ensure that the research is conducted in a reliable and accurate manner. Therefore, it is important to consider all of these elements when conducting research.

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