EDITED2-1FinalProjectMilestoneOneTopicSelection22.docx

Running head: PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECT 1

PROPOSED RESEARCH TOPIC 2

Proposed Research Topic:
Prevalence of Mental Health Dis s Among Foster Children
Lesly Ulloa
Research Methods in Psychology
Professor Bernadette Boozer-Madison

The research topic I will focus on is examining the prevalence of mental health dis s among foster children and the risk factors associated with it. The level of parental neglect has significantly increased in most western societies, which endangers a child’s development and health due to out-of-home placement. The disconnection of these children from their biological families often affects their emotional and psychological well-being. The primary investigations about mental health problems in foster children utilizing symptom checklists show a high prevalence of mental health problems among these children. The research project will assess and document the mental health status of foster children living in foster families.
The list of search terms that will be used includes foster care, mental health dis s, foster children, alcohol and substance use dis s, the prevalence of mental health dis s, mental health services.
The question of the research is: What are the mental health problems faced by foster care children. The question will guide the study in establishing the symptoms and impairment related to mental health that these children exhibit. Interviews or questionnaires will be administered to the children and foster parents to obtain first-hand information of the mental issues foster children experience after being disconnected from their biological families. As the researcher, I will judge the answers provided by various informants. I will evaluate the dis s that meet the diagnostic criteria for specific mental health dis s. The data collected will generate rational incidence estimations of mental dis s among foster children and will guide public health service provision of such children.