Choice of research setting in understanding adolescent health problems

Abstract

Purpose: This paper describes key features of settings in which most adolescent health research is done, advantages and disadvantages of each setting, crosscutting issues to consider in every setting, and strategies for overcoming common problems in adolescent research.

Methods: Thirty experts in adolescent health research were interviewed. They described advantages and disadvantages of doing research in particular settings or with particular populations, strategies for gaining access to research settings and conducting health research on adolescents, and suggestions for those planning to do research in a specific setting.

Results: Schools and households are the preferred settings for research about normative adolescent health issues, though underreporting may be more common in household samples. Households are typically used for longitudinal studies. Candid reporting of sensitive or deviant behavior may be improved in clinical settings where confidentiality can be guaranteed, but data collection may be protracted and sample biases may not be evident. Juvenile justice facilities, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and community agencies are good settings for studying youth with serious or multiple problems.

Conclusions: The choice of setting should be appropriate for the research questions posed. Concerns of the organization in which the research will be done and benefits from the proposed research should be addressed. Confidentiality must be assured and precautions for protection of human subjects must be observed. Innovative approaches must be used to recruit special populations, and adolescents should participate in the research design. Researchers should leave good feelings in their wake once research has ended.