Assessment Description
Using the attached Research Proposal assignments, submit a 500-750-word summary of your proposal. The summary must include the following:
Part 1 (Introduction, Literature Review, and Research Questions/Hypotheses)
Part 2 (Methods and Data Collection, Hypothetical Findings, Suggestions for Future Research, Conclusion, and References)
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are not required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.
NOTE: Please you the attached to do the abstract
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PSY-550 WEEK 7 Benchmark – Research Proposal Question
Assessment Description
Using the topic you have developed in PSY-530 (if you have not taken PSY-530, please check with your instructor about a topic), write a Research Proposal (2,000-2,500 words) on a topic relevant to the course. To complete the Research Proposal, do the following:
Review the attached document “Research Proposal Guidelines” as well as Topic 7 lecture section on The Results and Discussion Sections in the Research Proposal for a brief overview pertaining to “how to” complete the assignment.
1. Introductory section: Include hypothesis and a review of the literature.
2. Method section: Include subsections on Participants, Apparatus/Materials/Instruments, Procedure, and Design.
3. Results section: Include statistic, critical values, degrees of freedom, and alpha level.
4. Discussion section: Include interpretation of results, ethical concerns, limitations of study, and suggestions for future research.
5. Figures and Tables section: Include a minimum of two (either two figures, two tables, or a figure and a table).
Include at least 8-10 scholarly references.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
Benchmark Information
This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:
MS Psychology, Forensic Psychology; General Psychology; GeroPsychology; Health Psychology; Human Factors Psychology; Industrial and Organizational Psychology; Life Coaching
3.3: Design an innovative research study
4.3: Plan and manage the necessary process for the completion of a research project.
Attachments
PSY550-RS-ResearchProposalGuidelines x
*See paper below
Influence of exercise and diet on mental health Research Proposal
Introduction
The issue of mental health has become a significant concern in public health, raising the attention of major global health stakeholders recently. Statistics show that approximately one in five Americans 18 years or older have mental health issues. Besides, more than 800,000 people commit suicide each year. Scholars and mental health specialists have come up with theories explaining the source of the increase of mental health cases despite the enhancement in healthcare quality over the past years. Common knowledge is that mental illnesses are caused by genes, life experiences such as stress, biological factors, brain strains, and exposure to toxic chemicals. The mental health issue requires massive attention to curb the enormous rise in mental health issues in our communities. This research seeks to evaluate dietary habits and exercise on mental health.
Several studies have linked diet with depressions and stress. Undoubtedly, diets have changed over time. Western food’s most common diets are of low quality with low nutritional value to the body. In fact, some food only weakens the human immune system making it susceptible to diseases (McGrane, 2021). According to McGrane (2021), the food we take in our bodies affects how we react to the environment. We can shape people’s mental conditions through their diets for children and adults. For instance, today, more than 17 million kids with mental illnesses in the US (Miller, 2015). Notably, the risk of depressions among young kids is 80% greater than children who eat low-quality diets (Miller, 2015). Campbell (2021) explains that the connection between diet and mental disorder is through a “sugar crash” phenomenon. When one lacks energy, it causes one to react anxiously, irritable and confused. Thus, the human body reacts by associating the diet we take with physical and mental wellness. We can easily recognize a person who is hungry through emotions. A proverb says, “A hungry man is an angry man.” However, we must be careful since not all emotions are food-related; thus, it is not ideal to say that diet is directly related to emotions unless we conduct this research study.
Scholars have researched several diets that they recommend reducing mental illnesses’ risk. A review of several studies by Campbell (2021) showed that Mediterranean diets such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, fish, and unsaturated food were directly connected to reduced risks of anxiety and depressions. Nonetheless, high intake of sugary foods, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods are directly connected to anxiety among children and teens (Jacka et al., 2017). Jacka et al. (2017) found that when we include practical dietary advice to treat mental illnesses, it can be pivotal to the quick recovery of the patients.
Eating healthy meals and exercising impact the physical body and mental health positively. According to Campbell (2021), including anti-inflammatory food in the diet program helps reduce the risks of a significant number of diseases such as immune disorders, heart diseases, and cancers. Essentially, chronic sickness makes the human body susceptible to anxiety and depressions. Many people who experience chronic sickness are filled with uncertainty and death thoughts which affect their mental health. Regular exercise is essential in keeping the body fit and preventing illnesses such as obesity. Most lifestyle diseases that affect the human body due to the lack of exercise causes low self-esteem and reduced cognitive ability (Sharma et al., 2006). Although exercise is often neglected in mental healthcare, it promotes self-esteem, moods and increases energy, stamina, and mental alertness when included as part of a lifestyle. Thus, observing a healthy diet and exercise will indirectly reduce the risks of mental illnesses by preventing chronic diseases and ensuring the brain’s well-being.
Diet and exercise have much input in providing energy for healthy mental status. A balanced diet is pivotal in providing the body with ready energy and nutrients for growth and development. On the other hand, exercise ensures stability in the body’s energy regulations and keeps the body stable throughout. It has been proven that eating sugary diets only provides the body with a lot of calories. The high number of calories does not directly translate to high energy. Sugary food also deteriorates the moods of the human body. Campbell (2021) indicates that sugary foods are hard for the alimentary canal to digest, which interferes with the ability of the body to rest. Including a healthy diet and exercise in one’s daily program ensures good sleep at night and feeling refreshed when they wake up.
The connection between the digestive system and brain activity can be explained through serotine. Serotine plays a significant role in how we respond to sleep and emotions. For instance, when we are about to sleep, serotine converts to melatonin, which helps the body maintain sleep quality (Campbell, 2021). Since a significant amount of serotine is produced in the guts, they help maintain the stomach’s bacteria balance and health. When we feel stressed, the body responds by initiating other involuntary bodily functions such as digestion, respiration, and heart rate. This scenario explains why we feel angry, fearful, and disgusted in the stomach. Serotine has the function of regulating these processes in connection with the nervous system. Therefore, when our guts are healthy and happy, we tend to show emotions of happiness in life. Brogan (n.d.) reviews a study done in 2019, which revealed that leaky guts lead to body inflammation and is translated into stress and emotions. Not only does the brain affect how we feel in the guts, but also the guts influence the brain’s reasoning by sending signals through the nervous system. For this study, I propose the null hypothesis as there is no significant relationship between diet & exercise, and mental health will be found.
Methodology
Subjects
The study will incorporate a total of one hundred and fifty participants from different districts and regions in the US. The participants will be limited to those who have experienced mental health issues at least twice in their past lives. Moreover, they must be eighteen years or older. The recruitment of the participants will utilize a stratified sampling method. This technique involves the researcher dividing the entire population into strata or districts and then selecting the final subjects proportionally from each identified strata (Explorable, n.d.). This technique is helpful in this study since it will ensure the researcher highlights key subgroups such as those from low-income areas in the US. It also has a high statistical precision to produce information that can be reliable and non-bias to make conclusive statements on the topic of study.
Apparatus and Materials/Instruments
The research will incorporate preformatted questionnaires distributed to the participants selected in the study. Participants will fill the questionnaires digitally through a tablet that the researcher will hand them physically. The benefit of using digital questionnaires is that it prevents the use of bulky papers and may cause potential damage to the environment during destructions after analysis. Physical forms can also be easily misplaced or damaged before the data is taken for analysis. Participants will be asked for consent and permission before being asked to provide data asked in the questionnaires. This way, the researcher will instill confidence that any information provided will be used for the purpose of this study only, and personal information will be kept confidential. The participants will be taken to a secure and quiet place to help them concentrate on answering the questions without distractions. A Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software program will be utilized to record and analyze all data collected from the participants.
Procedure
The researcher will select about five districts with different backgrounds and regional geolocations in the US. The procedure will ensure that a diverse population is incorporated into the study. Participants will then be selected from those districts. Each district will have 30 participants selected randomly. Afterward, the selected participants will be provided with printed copies of informed consent, a clear explanation of the purpose of the study, and debriefing forms at the end where they will sign to prove they were provided informed consent by the researcher. After the respondents accept to participate in the study, the researcher will try to find a secure and quiet place to complete the questions asked in the questionnaire. Any questions raised by the participants will be answered immediately to ensure they are comfortable filling the questionnaires. They will also be asked to give their honest opinions to avoid bias results. Time granted to each participant would be even to about thirty minutes to ensure they complete answering all the questions. Finally, the data collected will be analyzed to accept or reject the study’s null hypothesis.
Design
The researcher will adopt a descriptive research design to conduct research on the study topic. According to Stangor and Walinga (2019), descriptive design helps the researcher explore surveys by creating a picture of current thoughts or behaviors of the target population. This design is appropriate in defining the characteristics of the sample. The researcher will also implement a correlational study that will measure the impact of diet and exercise as the independent variable on mental health, the dependent variable.
Results
Using the SPSS program, the researcher will conduct an ANOVA test for the data obtained. This way, it will be possible to determine whether there is a significant difference between the study’s variables. Since the researcher expects all the questionnaires to be filled and returned by the one hundred and fifty participants, the degrees of freedom will be one hundred and fifty. The confidence level is at 95%, while the alpha value is at 0.05, meaning that the z-score stands at .975 while the critical value will be 1.96.
Discussion
Data analyzed will be used to either reject or accept the null hypothesis. If there is a significant relationship between the independent and dependent variables, the researcher will reject the null hypothesis. However, if there is no significant relationship between diet & exercise and mental health, the researcher will accept the null hypothesis. In this case, the researcher will have to change the variable to conduct further research.
All the APA ethical guidelines will be followed during the study timeline. The researcher will seek approval from the institution to conduct this research before it begins. Informed consent forms will be provided to the participants, and data will only be collected from them after they sign them in agreement to participate. The researcher will involve some form of deception to influence the participants in the study to participate and provide honest answers to questions asked. After completing the study, the debriefing forms will be provided that will give a clear explanation of deception and the real purpose of the study (“Debriefing process guidance,” 2019).
Areas of further research suggested to scholars interested in this topic include the influence of genetics on mental illnesses. A significant limitation expected from this study would be that it will be challenging to convince participants to provide honest data on their health. Some of the participants will withhold information or have difficulties understanding the questions. The researcher will try to assess the moods and commitment of the participants to determine their willingness to participate in the study. He will apply deception to convince the participants to take part in the study. Also, the researcher will provide informed consent to assure the participants of confidentiality, state the purpose of the study, and explain the questions in simple terms in case of the participants do not understand the questions clearly.
Informed Consent Form
Debriefing Form
I thank you for accepting to take part in this study. You have successfully completed the study by
Deborah Oyedele
This form aims to explain the background purpose of this study. If you have any questions, remarks, or recommendations, you are free to raise them.
The researcher deceived all the participants at the start of this study. You were told that this study is a community project aimed at enriching ensuring healthy populations by collecting public suggestions. However, the valid reason for this study is to understand the influence of both diet and exercise on mental wellness.
If you decide to withdraw your participation after the news of the study’s true purpose, your data will be destroyed, and you will be removed from the participation list. A follow-up will be conducted in the future. We ask the participants not to involve in discussions of responses after this study.
Keep this form as a personal record of your participation in this project.
If you have any questions, you can always contact:
Deborah Oyedele
DOyedele@my.gcu.edu
References
Brogan, K. (n.d.). New insights on gut permeability and depression. MyKajiB.com.
https://kellybroganmd.mykajabi.com/blog/new-insights-on-gut-permeability-and-depression#readfreely
Campbell, A. C. (2021, July 20). Nutrition and mental health: Can your diet improve your mood? BetterUp: The People Experience Platform.
https://www.betterup.com/blog/nutrition-and-mental-health
Debriefing process guidance. (2019, 7). UMass Amherst.
https://www.umass.edu/research/guidance/debriefing-process-guidance
Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Opie, R., Itsiopoulos, C., Cotton, S., Mohebbi, M., Castle, D., Dash, S., Mihalopoulos, C., Chatterton, M. L., Brazionis, L., Dean, O. M., Hodge, A. M., & Berk, M. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial). BMC Medicine, 15(1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y
McGrane, K. (2021, January 8). Nutrition and mental health: What’s the link? Medical and health information.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/nutrition-and-mental-health-is-there-a-link
Miller, K. (2015, August 20). Can what you eat affect your mental health? WebMD.
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20150820/food-mental-health
Sharma, A., Madaan, V., & Petty, F. D. (2006). Exercise for mental health. The Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 08(02), 106.
https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a
Stangor, S., & Walinga, J. (2019, June 28). 3.5 psychologists use descriptive, correlational, and experimental research designs to understand behaviour – Introduction to psychology. OPENPRESS.USASK.CA – An Open Academic Publishing Platform.
