PSYC FPX 3210 Assessment 1 Analyzing Sources

Student Name

Capella University

PSYC FPX 3210 Human Lifespan Development

Prof. Name:

Date

Abstract

This study focuses on the effects of low income and poverty on children in the United States. Data for the study was obtained from the United States Census Bureau. Hypothetically, if the government provided psychologists with data such as census records, they would be better equipped to identify the number of participants needed for their studies. The participants in the article included professors and students from six different service-learning courses at a major public university in the Midwest.

Our study invitation was sent to seven professors, as only one of the seven courses had two parts, while five courses had only one part. Additionally, I searched the Capella University Library using Summon for information on child poverty, resulting in data hits; after applying several filters, only two sources remained. The research concludes with a review and discussion of these two secondary sources.

PSYC FPX 3210 Assessment 1 Analyzing Sources

Keywords: Income, Poverty, Data, Population, Participants, Census Bureau, United States

How many people in the United States under the age of 18 lived below the poverty line in 2018?

In 2018, there were 11,879 individuals under 18 living below the poverty line, constituting 16.2 percent of this age group.

How many people aged 65 and older lived below the poverty line in 2018?

In 2018, 5,245 seniors (9.6 percent of the senior population) lived in poverty.

How can psychologists use government data?

Psychologists can utilize public records to better understand the social context and interpersonal dynamics of their patients. Factors such as security, economic status, social and sexual status, religious affiliation, and levels of religiosity can significantly impact mental health. By considering these factors, psychologists may be able to more effectively implement necessary treatments.

Using the Library

In the Capella University Library, search for “children and poverty” using Summon. How many results does this produce?

A search for “children and poverty” in Summon through the Capella University Library yielded 2,286,670 results.

From the Capella Library home page, click Databases, then under All Subjects (on the left), choose Psychology, and then click PSYCArticles. Search for “children and poverty.”

From the search results in PSYCArticles, select Peer Reviewed and adjust the publication date to 2014-2022. How many results do you have now?

Using the filters for Peer Reviewed and the publication years 2014-2018 in PSYCArticles, the search yielded 1,698 results, a significant decrease from the initial search without filters.

In your search results in PSYCArticles, locate Subject: Major Heading, click Show More, scroll to “mental health,” and check the box. Click Update. How many results do you have now?

After applying the “mental health” filter, the results were narrowed down to 93.

Click on the title of the first result, then select Cite from the right bar and scroll to APA 7th edition. Copy and paste the reference.

Berry, J. W., & Hou, F. (2016). Immigrant acculturation and wellbeing in Canada. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 57(4), 254–264. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1037/cap0000064

Click on the title of the second result, then select Cite from the right bar and scroll to APA 7th edition. Copy and paste the reference.

Sutter, M., & Perrin, P. B. (2016). Discrimination, mental health, and suicidal ideation among LGBTQ people of color. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(1), 98–105. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1037/cou0000126

Are these two articles about children and poverty?

The two articles found are “Immigrant Acculturation and Wellbeing in Canada” and “Discrimination, Mental Health, and Suicidal Ideation Among LGBTQ People of Color.” Neither of these articles directly addresses child poverty.

What could you have done differently to get results that were about children and poverty?

Clearing the criteria and applying “poverty” to the Subject: Major Heading would yield 34 results, focusing on child poverty. This approach provides a breakdown of child poverty effects based on race, socioeconomic status, and family composition.

Using Scholarly Articles

Find the following article in the Capella library and then use it to answer the following questions. You can copy and paste this reference into Summon to locate the article.

Wang, Y., & Rodgers, R. (2006). Impact of service-learning and social justice education on college students’ cognitive development. NASPA Journal, 43(2), 316–337. https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.1642

Read the information in the section Methodology. Describe the sample instructor and student population (who participated), number of courses, and the type of institution. Use the correct in-text citation.

Wang and Rodgers (2006) conducted their study at a public university in the Midwest, involving seven instructors and 72 students. Of these students, 20 were men and 52 were women, aged between 18 and 33. The participants included 19 first-year undergraduates, 3 second-year undergraduates, 11 third-year undergraduates, 30 fourth-year undergraduates, and 9 first-year master’s students. The institution offered six service-learning courses, with five courses having a single component and one course having two components (Wang & Rodgers, 2006).

What do we know about the generalizability of this study? In the language of researchers, can the results of this study be generalized?

The limited sample size poses challenges to generalizing the study’s results. Only 72 out of 103 students participated, with the remaining refusing to participate. Increased penetration points could enhance data collection accuracy, though the limited sample size constrains the ability to generalize findings (Wang & Rodgers, 2006).

Find the following article in the library and then use it to answer the following questions. You can copy and paste the reference into Summon to find the article.

Read the information in the section Method – Participants. Describe the sample population (who participated) in your own words. Use the correct in-text citation.

Sutter and Perrin (2016) conducted their study to address gaps in existing research on discrimination, mental health, and suicidal ideation among LGBTQ individuals of color. The survey sample included members of the LGBTQ community from various racial and ethnic backgrounds, aged 18 and older, residing in major urban centers.

Outside of the participants in this survey, who else might the results be true for? In the language of research, who can the results be generalized to?

The results may be relevant to other marginalized groups experiencing mental health challenges, including individuals who identify as LGBTQ or belong to minority racial and ethnic groups. Mental health professionals might use these findings to identify, diagnose, and treat mental health issues in these populations. However, the generalizability is limited due to potential biases and safeguards in the survey process, including incomplete surveys or deletions.

References

Berry, J. W., & Hou, F. (2016). Immigrant acculturation and wellbeing in Canada. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 57(4), 254–264. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1037/cap0000064