In the U. S.

, depression is one of the most prevalent factors

leading to disability, with billions of dollars spent on care and
lost productivity annually. Major depression, also known as
clinical depression, is a mental health mood disorder as this
sample essay will discuss in detail.

Chronic depression: More than just a

downer
Individuals who experience major depression often harbor
feelings of sadness, anger, loss of interest, agitation, loss of
sleep, frustration and irritability, although people are affected
differently by the disorder. Some persons are able to function
normally within their daily lives and give the impression of
being happy and healthy, yet are quite disturbed within.
Further, major depression can manifest itself in a variety of
mental and physical pathologies, including lethargy,
complication with recollection and focus, sensations of
melancholy and incapacity, headaches and suicidal ideation.
Major depression can be divided into two main types of
disorders categorized primarily by duration – episodic
depression and chronic depression.

Major depressive disorder

Episodic depression is major depression, generally
characterized by mood disorder experienced over a limited
amount of time – more than two weeks. Chronic depression is
major depression, characterized by symptoms lasting for two
or more years. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, Fifth Edition, is a comprehensive manual used by U.
S. mental health care professionals to classify and diagnose
mental disorder.
The manual is developed under the auspices of the American
Psychiatric Association and the National Institutes of Health.
Over time, as more information has been gathered, analyzed
and digested, the description for some disorders have evolved.
The DSM-V describes what was previously called dysthymia in
its DSM-IV version, and for many years; has now been
categorized as persistent depressive disorder (PDD), along
with chronic major depressive disorder.

Episodic and chronic depression is not only distinguished by

time. Chronic depression has the effect of more functional
impairment than episodic depression. Also, in the case of
chronic depression there is greater risk of suicide. Moreover,
there is a parallel between chronic depression and other
psychiatric disorders. Finally, chronic depression has more
indications of genetic interplay and incidents of childhood
trauma reported by patients.

Symptoms of depression
Individuals who suffer from chronic depression are usually in a
state of depression for the major part of the day. They also
experience a loss of interest in people and relationships they
valued previously, like family and friends, and lose interest in
daily activities, like golf or swimming, if they liked these
endeavors before. The time frame for this diagnosis requires
that these symptoms persist every day for a period of 2 weeks,
at minimum.

In addition to these primary symptoms, others may arise also,

including, feelings of hopelessness, despair, worthlessness,
self-hate; a lack of energy or fatigue on a daily basis; an
ongoing sentiment of inadequacy; remorse, shame or guilt;
headaches or back pain; an inability to make decisions or
focus on things; an inability to sleep or a tendency to sleep too
much every day; no interest or pleasure in daily activities;
sensations of restlessness or feeling slow or rundown;
substantial weight loss or gain within a month; or thoughts of
death or suicide, or suicide attempts. If at least five or more of
these manifestations are present, your doctor will likely
diagnose you as having major depression disorder.

Causes of depression
There are no perfect causes for major depression, however,
some general potential triggers are abuse caused emotionally,
sexually or physically; feelings of deprivation, withdrawal,
loneliness and isolation; love lost by divorce, separation or
death; major interpersonal conflicts at home or at work; or
significant life transitions, like major moves; job or career
changes; retirement or graduation; drug and alcohol abuse;
some medicines.

Physical causes include changes that have transpired in the

brain mass; changes in brain chemistry , such as
neurotransmitters and their interaction with brain
neurocircuits which help to stabilize mood; hormone
imbalances; and genetic traits from relatives; underactive
thyroid, cancer or long-term pain.

Prevalence of depression
Women suffer from depression twice as much as men, likely
due to hormonal factors such as pregnancy, menstrual cycles,
pre and post menopause, postpartum transitions,
miscarriages, including additional responsibilities at home and
in the workplace, and caregiving to children and aging parents.
In addition, women are more likely to seek help than are men.

Despite the prevalence of depression in women, in the U. S.

there are over 3 million men diagnosed with depression. The
other problem, in the case of men, is the fact that men are not
open to admitting the fact that they are suffering from
depression, and often doctors do not suspect it. Men also hide
their depression with alcohol more than women. Men commit
suicide at a rate of four times more often than women and that
rate even increases after men reach 70. Women are less
successful at completing suicide than men.

Risk Factors
Surveys indicate that almost 15 million Americans are affected
by major depressive disorder in a year's time. The onset of
depression clusters around the teen years and in patients in
their twenties or thirties, though the average age is 32. People
who abuse alcohol or illegal drugs are particularly susceptible
to depression. There is a dual susceptibility in the case of
alcohol, in that drinking leads to depression and conversely,
depression leads to alcoholism.

Other drug risk factors include use of sleeping pills and high blood
pressure medicine. In the case of genetics, relatives who have
committed suicide, are alcoholics, bipolar or who have a
history of depression have higher risk of onset. Those who
have other disorders, like eating or anxiety disorders, are at
risk of depression. Transgender, gay, bisexual and lesbian
individuals are at greater risk for depression.

Research indicates that lesbians, gay and bisexuals have a

higher rate of mental disorders, likely inspired by
discrimination, with a higher recurrence rate of major
depression among gay men, and a higher use of mental health
facilities by individuals with same sex partners. Other groups
with high risk factors include women, African-American and
those who live in poverty. Smoking has a substantial risk factor
for depression. People who are inclined towards depression
have a 25% chance of becoming depressed when they quit
smoking and the potential risk lasts for up to six months.
Diagnosis of depression
Individuals who seek help for feelings of depression often go
to their family doctor first. The initial conversations between a
doctor and patient usually focus on screening questions like,

“over the past month, have you felt down, depressed or

hopeless? Over the past month, have you felt little interest
or pleasure in doing things?.

If referred to a mental health clinician, a patient might receive

a screening test, for example the Hamilton Rating Scale or
the Beck Depression Inventory screen. These screens
generally consist of a set of 20 questions posed to the patient,
though the doctor may just check symptoms and other criteria.

Treatment of depression
The excellent news is that depression can be treated. The
most popular treatment options involve psychotherapy,
medicines, such as antidepressants, or a combination of both
options. The method selected is dependent upon a variety of
factors including the extent of the disorder, the specific
category of depression, other possible medical issues, a
woman’s pregnancy condition and possibly the person’s age.

Individuals with chronic depression often receive cognitive

behavioral therapy (CBT) in combination with antidepressants
which usually need to be taken for four to nine months to
reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Studies indicate that the
combination of antidepressants with CBT are the most
effective treatment. Another option for those who are resistant
and hard to treat is a brain stimulation method called
electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In fact, there are a number of
newer experimental treatments that are being researched.
Sadly, people with depression often do not get the care they truly
need, receiving less than adequate care or none at all. There
are many possible reasons for this including lack of health
insurance, limited access to health care facilities, failure to
complete doctor’s orders, or healthcare professionals who
simply lack training or ability to recognize symptoms.

Exercise
Antidepressants, although beneficial for many, are often used
in combination with CBT, including exercise. Research
indicates that exercise has a major significant impact on
patients with depression as an adjunct treatment method. In
one of the studies, the study group walked for twenty to forty
minutes, three times per week compared to a placebo group,
and the results were quite impressive.

In addition, it was discovered that exercise often led to a

longer lasting period of success, and in the case of many
involved in the study group, the participant continued to
exercise from the beginning of the program through their one
year follow-up and indicated that the exercise had a positive
impact on their depression.

Prevention of depression
Depression can generally be treated successfully when the
regimen prescribed by the doctor is followed completely. If
that regimen is just antidepressants, just CBT or a
combination of both, the best solution is completing the
recommendations made by the mental health professional. In
some instances, depression is not preventable because it
might be the result of a hormone imbalance, or altered brain
chemistry. If depression can be prevented, however, it would
be though the development of healthy eating habits, exercise,
finding time for relaxation and fun, and avoiding stressful
situations.

Conclusion
Chronic depression is a serious disorder that requires
proactive intervention on the part of the patient. Although
most experience major depressive disorder in their teens,
twenties or thirties, thirty two is the average age of onset. The
disorder can be caused by genetics, other diseases,
imbalances in hormones or brain chemistry, or abuse of drugs
and alcohol, and more. Depression is not something that a
person who falls victim to it, can simply “snap out ” of. When
someone indicates that they are feeling depressed, they
should be taken seriously and encouraged to see a doctor to
be screened. If the person does not recognize the symptoms
but displays them, they should be encouraged to see a mental
healthcare professional for safe keeping. If they are male, they
will likely have to be pushed a little more. We are our brothers’
keepers.

Works Cited
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March 2016.
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A.D.A.M. "Treatment." New York Times. 25 March 2013. Web. 12

March 2016.
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eatment.html

A.D.A.M. "Risk Factors." New York Times. 25 March 2013. Web.

12 March 2016.
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k-factors.html

"Alcoholism and Depression." WebMd. n. d.. Web. 12 March

2016. http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/alcohol-and-
depresssion

"American Psychiatric Association DSM-5

Development" American Psychiatric Association. n. d.. Web. 12
March 2016. http://www.dsm5.org/about/Pages/faq.aspx#3

"American Psychiatric Association: Highlights of Changes from

DSM-4 to DSM-5" American Psychiatric Association. n. d.. Web.
12 March 2016. http://www.dsm5.org/documents/changes
%20from%20dsm-iv-tr%20to%20dsm-5.pdf

Craft, Lynette L. and Perna, Frank M."The Benefits of Exercise

for the Clinically Depressed." NCBI. National Institute of
Health. 2004. Web. 12 March 2016.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/

DeAngeles, Tori. "New Data on Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual

Mental Health." American Psychological Association. February
2002. Web. 12 March 2016.
http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb02/newdata.aspx

"Depression." National Institute of Mental Health. National

Institutes of Health. n. d.. Web. 12 March 2016.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

"Diagnosis of Depression in Children, Elderly, Women, and

Men." All About Depression. All About Self Help. n. d. Web. 12
March 2016. http://www.allaboutdepression.com/dia_18.html#4

"Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth

Edition (DSM-5)." American Psychiatric Association. n. d. Web.
12 March 2016.
http://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm
"Major Depression." WebMd. n. d.. Web. 12 March 2016.
http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/major-depression

"Major Depression (Clinical Depression)." WebMd. n. d.. Web. 12

March 2016. http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/major-
depression?page=2

"Major Depressive Disorder." All About Depression. All About

Self Help. n. d. Web. 12 March 2016.
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"Managing Chronic Depression." Harvard Medical School.

Harvard Health Publications. 1 December 2009. Web. 12 March
2016.
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chronic-depression

Mayo Clinic Staff. "Disease and Conditions: Depression (major

depressive disorder) Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research. 22 July 2015. Web. 12 March 2016.
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conditions/depression/basics/definition/con-20032977

"Understanding Depression Prevention." WebMd. n. d.. Web. 12

March 2016.
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depression-prevention.

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Academic Stress causes Teenage Depression

Academic stress is very common in student’s lives. Many students

assume that making the academic experience their first priority now,
will increase the chance of success in the future. School is an
important aspect in most teenagers lives and by being so important a
teenager can become depressed very effortlessly at school or
because of school. Academic stress can take complete control over a
student’s life, sometimes leading to depression. At school this may
lead to poor attendance, a significant drop in grades or even
annoyance with schoolwork, in a good student. There are many
studies that have been performed to prove the correlation between
responsibility in school and academic performance being the cause to
academic stress. Just like there are numerous causes to academic
there are also numerous cures, such as changing mind set and
behavior. Academic stress is something majority of students in school
can relate to and the cause of it can be something small as a bad
grade on an evaluation, It will enforce the student to try harder in the
future but it will for sure cause some sort of stress, even if it is for a
moment. Stress from school can be one of the most essential causes
of teen depression.
Academic stress can take complete control over the student enduring
it. Researchers say that the most common form of anxiety causing
academic stress is achievement anxiety. This type of anxiety is likely
to occur when a student has a fear of failure in an academic related
situation. However a report conducted in 2000, Research in Higher
Education” showed that academic stress and achievement anxiety can
have a positive effect on a students gra

Children's success in their educational endeavors and their general

socioemotional adjustment are influenced by a variety of personal
characteristics and environmental experiences. One of the most powerful
determinants of children's developmental course is the social context in which
they live. In particular, experiencing a stable and supportive environment
during childhood is likely to foster healthy cognitive, social, and emotional
development, whereas experiencing a disruptive or stressful environment has
been linked to a wide range of adverse mental health outcomes, including
depression. Stress and the accompanying emotional distress may then
interfere with some of the major tasks of childhood, such as academic
achievement and fulfillment of educational goals.

The Role of Stress in Depression

Theory and empirical research have implicated stress as a critical risk factor
for depression during childhood and adolescence. Stress may take the form of
an accumulation of minor daily hassles, more severe chronic strains, or
specific negative life events. Each of these types of stress has been linked to
depression. Stress also may arise from normative developmental transitions,
such as entrance into middle school or moving away from home for the first
time. For example, research has shown that school transitions, which often are
characterized by many social and academic stressors, have negative effects on
academic motivation, performance, and school engagement, as well as on
emotional well-being. In particular, Karen Rudolph and colleagues
demonstrated in 2001 that the experience of school-related stress (such as
poor academic performance, negative feedback from parents and teachers
about school work, and daily hassles in the school environment) leads to
increases in depression in the context of a transition into middle school.

An important question that has not yet been fully answered concerns how
stressful life events and circumstances heighten vulnerability to depression.
Stress may contribute to depression through many different pathways.
Unpredictable or disruptive environments may undermine children's sense of
control and mastery, leading to a sense of helplessness or hopelessness that
acts as a precursor to depression. For example, Rudolph and colleagues
demonstrated in 2001 that family disruption, as well as exposure to chronic
stressful circumstances within the family, peer, and school settings, predicted
decreases in perceptions of control and increases in helpless behavior in
academic and social situations. These maladaptive beliefs and behavior were
in turn associated with depression. Exposure to stress and failure also are
likely to influence adversely children's perceptions of their competence. For
instance, David Cole and colleagues suggested in 1991 that negative
environmental feedback is internalized by children in the form of negative
self-perceptions and low self-esteem, which then heighten depressive
symptoms. Stress within the school environment may exert specific influences
on children's academic-related beliefs, self-perceptions, and goals, and,
consequently, on emotional well-being at school. As reviewed by Robert
Roeser and Jacquelynne Eccles in 2000, classroom-level and school-level
stressors involving instructional practices, emotional climate, and teachers'
goals and behavior influence children's subjective perceptions of school, which
then determine academic and emotional adjustment.

The Impact on Academic Functioning and

Educational Progress
Stressful life experiences as well as acute or chronic periods of depression may
interrupt the normative progression of developmental milestones. Given the
prominent role that schools play in children's lives, the school setting
represents a salient context for development and mental health. Stressful
experiences and emotional difficulties are therefore likely to undermine a
variety of school-related competencies, including academic motivation and
school engagement, goal orientation, scholastic performance, and school
conduct.

Educational Implications of Stress

Stressful life circumstances may influence school adjustment in many ways.
First, dealing with stress in other areas of their lives may interfere directly
with children's performance at school by depleting the amount of time,
energy, and focused attention available for academic tasks and school
involvement, such as completing homework or engaging in after-school
activities. Second, exposure to high levels of stress may divert coping
resources away from efforts to deal with the challenges of school. This lack of
resources may lead adolescents to feel overwhelmed, and create a sense of
helplessness that results in disengagement from school. Third, stressful
circumstances outside of school may lead children to place less of a priority on
educational goals, thereby undermining school investment. Finally, if stress
originates within the family setting, it is likely that family members have less
availability and lower levels of school involvement, which would diminish
emotional and instrumental support necessary for educational success.

Educational Implications of Depression

Depression has been linked to a range of negative school-related outcomes,
including poor grades, a lack of persistence in the face of academic challenges,
and decreased classroom participation. These effects may range from short-
term declines in academic performance to long-term problematic school
outcomes. For example, depressive symptoms as early as first grade predict
school difficulties many years later, including increased use of special
education services, grade retention, and poor grades.

Less is known, however, about how and why depression interferes with school
adjustment. The symptoms and accompanying features of depression
themselves may have a negative impact on academic achievement and
motivation. For example, concentration difficulties, a lack of interest and
energy, and withdrawal are likely to undermine performance and engagement
at school. Depressive behaviors also may elicit negative reactions from
teachers and peers, leading to social isolation and alienation from the school
setting. In fact, teachers may feel over-whelmed by the emotional difficulties
of their students, leading to low levels of perceived self-efficacy and less than
optimal teaching performance. Finally, depression may induce negative beliefs
about one's competence and a sense of helplessness, leading to a lack of
persistence in academic tasks. Indeed, Carol Dweck and colleagues described
in 1988 a profile of "learned helplessness" in achievement contexts,
characterized by an avoidance of challenge, lack of persistence in the face of
failure, excessive concerns about competence, ineffective learning strategies,
maladaptive attributions about failure, and negative emotions. Additional
research is needed to determine if in fact this profile characterizes depressed
children in the school context.

Remaining Issues
Whether it is most common for academic difficulties to precede depression or
for depression to precede academic difficulties has not yet been clearly
determined. It also is possible, of course, that the presence of significant
academic difficulties in depressed children reflects a common third influence.
For example, both depression and academic impairment are linked to
behavior problems and attentional deficits. In fact, research has suggested
that depression may be most strongly associated with academic stress, failure,
and school conduct problems when it co occurs with acting-out behavior or
attentional deficits.

Another important question is why some children who experience high levels
of stress or depression show resilience in their school adjustment: A subgroup
of high-risk children does show academic success and educational investment
in the face of adversity. Many factors may promote such resilience, including
personal characteristics of children as well as positive school climates, but
additional research is needed to examine this process in more depth.

School-Based Prevention and Intervention Programs

In light of theory and research linking stress and depression with school-
related impairment, there has been a call for a new generation of school-based
prevention and intervention programs that address the joint issues of
academic difficulties and mental health problems. Such programs may range
from child-level approaches implemented within the school setting to
schoolwide or districtwide approaches directed at systems-level changes.

Several child-level programs have been created to address issues of stress and
depression within the school setting. One representative program, developed
by Martin Seligman and colleagues, was designed to prevent severe depression
in at-risk children–that is, children with elevated levels of depressive
symptoms and exposure to family stress–as well as to remediate performance
deficits in these children, such as lowered academic achievement and behavior
problems. The program emphasized teaching children strategies to cope with
stressful events and negative emotions, enhancing children's sense of mastery
and competence, and modifying distortions in the ways that children viewed
themselves and their surroundings. An extensive evaluation revealed that the
program successfully decreased children's level of depressive symptoms and
behavior problems. Several similar programs have targeted coping with stress
and depression in the school context. These programs tend to yield positive
results in terms of decreasing levels of depression, although assessments have
not always been conducted to determine why these improvements occur. Less
commonly used have been systems-level school-based mental health
programs. Such programs focus on promoting change in more distal
environmental influences, such as the classroom climate or broader school
ecology. Undoubtedly, effectively addressing the complex links among stress,
depression, and school adjustment will require an integrated approach that
considers both personal resources of children as well as the broader contexts
in which they live.

See also: AFFECT

AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT; AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR GUIDANCE
AND COUNSELING, SCHOOL; MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND CHILDREN.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
CLARKE, GREGORY N.; HAWKINS, WESLEY; MURPHY, MARY; SHEEBER,
LISA B.; LEWINSOHN, PETER M.; and SEELEY, JOHN R. 1995. "Targeted
Prevention of Unipolar Depressive Disorder in an At-Risk Sample of High
School Adolescents: A Randomized Trial of a Group Cognitive
Intervention." Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry 34:312–321.

COLE, DAVID A. 1991. "Preliminary Support for a Competency-Based Model of

Depression in Children." Journal of Abnormal Psychology 100:181–190.

DWECK, CAROL S., and LEGGETT, ELLEN L. 1988. "A Social-Cognitive

Approach to Motivation and Personality." Psychological Review 95:256–273.

ECCLES, JACQUELYNNE S.; WIGFIELD, ALLAN; and SCHIEFELE, ULRICH.

1998. "Motivation to Succeed." In Handbook of Child Psychology, Vol. 4, ed.
Nancy Eisenberg. New York: Wiley.
GARBER, JUDY, and HILSMAN, RUTH. 1992. "Cognitions, Stress, and
Depression in Children and Adolescents." In Child and Adolescent Clinics of
North America, Vol. 1: Mood Disorders, ed. Dennis P. Cantwell. Philadelphia:
Saunders.

IALONGO, NICHOLAS S.; EDELSOHN, GAIL; and KELLAM, SHEPPHARD G.

2001. "A Further Look at the Prognostic Power of Young Children's Reports of
Depressed Mood and Feelings." Child Development 72:736–747.

JAYCOX, LISA H.; REIVICH, KAREN J.; GILLHAM, JANE; and SELIGMAN,
MARTIN E. P. 1994. "Prevention of Depressive Symptoms in School
Children." Behavior Research and Therapy 32:801–816.

REYNOLDS, WILLIAM M., and COATS, KEVIN I. 1986. "A Comparison of

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Relaxation Training for the Treatment of
Depression in Adolescents." Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology 54:653–660.

ROESER, ROBERT W., and ECCLES, JACQUELYNNE S. 2000. "Schooling and

Mental Health." In Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology, ed. Arnold
J. Sameroff, Michael Lewis, and Suzanne M. Miller. New York: Plenum.

ROSE, DONNA T., and ABRAMSON, LYN Y. 1992. "Developmental Predictors of

Depressive Cognitive Style: Research and Theory." In Rochester Symposium
on Developmental Psychopathology, Vol. 4, ed. Dante Cicchetti and Sherre L.
Toth. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press.

RUDOLPH, KAREN D.; HAMMEN, CONSTANCE; BURGE, DORLI; LINDBERG,

NAGEL; HERZBERG, DAVID; and DALEY, SHANNON E. 2000. "Toward an
Interpersonal Life-Stress Model of Depression: The Developmental Context of
Stress Generation." Development and Psychopathology 12:215–234.
RUDOLPH, KAREN D.; KURLAKOWSKY, KATHRYN D.; and CONLEY, COLLEN S.
2001. "Developmental and Social-Contextual Origins of Depressive Control-
Related Beliefs and Behavior." Cognitive Therapy and Research 25:447–475.

RUDOLPH, KAREN D.; LAMBERT, SHARON M.; CLARK, ALYSSA G.; and
KURLAKOWSKY, KATHRYN D. 2001. "Negotiating the Transition to Middle
School: The Role of Self-Regulatory Processes." Child Development 72:929–
946.

KAREN D. RUDOLPH

Student Activities - OVERVIEW, FINANCING [next][back] Florence Stratemeyer (1900–1980)

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Another approach

Another way to write a statement of the problem is to use a template. Here is a

simple template which might be useful for researchers:

There is a problem in ______________________(e.g. organization or

situation where problem is occurring). Despite
___________________________(efforts to prevent or deter),
 _____________________(something undesirable or unexpected) is
occurring (provide evidence). This problem has negatively
affected_____________(victims of the problem)
because_____________________________. A possible cause of
this problem is ___________________________. Perhaps a study
which investigates_________________ by a
___________(paradigm/method) could help resolve the situation.

Here is a sample statement of the problem that has been created using the
above template:

An established trend in the small business start-up financing in Kenya is

to establish funds. Some of these funds include the youth fund and
women fund. These funds have helped improve the rate of start-ups in the
country. However, after the start-up stage, the ventures start developing
problems. First, they face problems in management which lead to a
marketing problem and eventually to stagnation and early exit.

A study by the Institute of Development Studies (RoK, 2004) revealed

that only 38% of the businesses are expanding while 58% have not added
workers. According to the survey, more enterprises are likely to close in
their first three years of operation. Four years later the same institute
conducted another study in Central Kenya. This study revealed that 57%
of small businesses are in stagnation with only 33% of them showing
some level of growth.

In our current project, we propose to examine factors that have an impact

on small business sustainability. We will employ both qualitative and
quantitative approaches to gather both primary and secondary data and
information with the objective of determining success factors for the
growth of small business in Kenya.

Specifically, we shall employ the product life cycle (PLC) model to identify
the needs of a small business at the various stages of the PLC.

CHAPTER 3METHODS AND PROCEDURES

This chapter briefly presents the different methods and
procedures used by theresearcher in doing his investigation. It
consists of the research design, the researchloca le, and the
subjects. It also include s the instruments used in the
collection and gathering of data, as well as the statistical tools used in
processing and analyzing the data.
Research Method
This study utilized the descriptive correlational design. Sanchez
(1998) statedthat descriptive research includes all studies that purport
to present facts concerning then a t u r e a n d s t a t u s o f a n y t h i n g –
a group of persons, a number of objects, a set
o f conditions, a class of events, a system of thought or any other kind
of phenomena whichone may wish to study. In this study, the
nature and status of the Medical Technologygraduates were
determined.The study also employed a correlational design in order to
determine the extent towhich the diffe re nt variable s are re la te d
to each other in the popula tion of inte re st. Through this
method, the researcher was able to ascertain how much variation is
caused by each of the inde pe ndent va riables to the
dependent variable. The ma gnitude anddirection of the
relationship was determined and was used for further
computations to predict the value of the dependent
variable.T h e i m p a c t o f t h e a c a d e m i c , c l i n i c a l a n d s e m i n
a r r a t i n g s , a s i n d e p e n d e n t variables, on the dependent
variable, board examination performance of the
MedicalTechnology graduates, was measured and the formers’
predictive value determined.
43

Subjects and Locale of the Study

The subjects of the study were the medica l technology
graduates of Angeles University Foundation who graduated
from 1995 – 2000. Each of the subjects shouldhave taken the
licensure examination on the same year as their graduation, that
is, theyshould have graduated March and have taken the board
examination on September of theyear they graduated regardless of
whether the former passed or not. All graduates whohave re-
enrolled a failed subject from a school other than Angeles University
Foundationwere disqualified. There were a total of one hundred sixty
nine (169) medical technologygraduates who were considered in the
study.The study was conducted at Angeles University Foundation
particularly at theDean’s Office of College of Allied Medical
Professions, the Office of the
UniversityRegistrar and at the Records Section of the Profes
sional Regulation Commission, Morayta, Manila.The College of
Allied Medical Professions opened its doors to the first batch
of students for both Medical Technology and Physical Therapy on June
1990 and has since been in the pursuit of academic excellence. The
academic programs cited were given thestamp of approval by the
Professional Regulation Commission and were later
grantedgovernment recognition on June 15, 1992 and August 25, 1993
respectively.A t p r e s e n t t h e t w o c o u r s e s a r e r e c o g n i z e d b y
t h e P r o f e s s i o n a l R e g u l a t i o n Commission as the college ranked
3
rd
among 68 schools offering Medical Technology 8
th
out of 112 schools which offer Physical Therapy.
44

Research Instruments
The researcher gathered data by examining, verifying
and analyzing the gradingsheets from the College of Allied Medical
Professions and of the Registrar’s
Office. Theofficial printout of the board examina tion perform
ance of the medical technology graduates had also undergone the
same process.Upon approval of the request letter, the researcher gathered
the grading sheets
of t h e f o l l o w i n g s u b j e c t s : C l i n i c a l C h e m i s t r y 1 & 2 , M
i c r o b i o l o g y, P a r a s i t o l o g y, Hematology, Serology, Blood
Banking, Histopathology, and Medical Technology
Lawsand Ethics. TheA data matrix table was prepared to encode all
the data needed in the study. Thedata matrix was used toge ther
with a data-coding manual. The data encoded on thematrix
table included the year the students graduated, their names,
academic ratings inthe different subject areas, their internship grades,
seminar grades, and board examination performance which is inclusive
of all ratings per subject taken and the general weightedaverage.
Data Collection
The initial phase of the study was the gathering of data pertaining to the
medicaltechnology graduates of Angeles Unive rsity Foundat
ion, College of Allied Medical Professions from academic year
1995 – 2000. A letter was sent to the Dean of CAMP toseek permission
to review the records of the 1995 to 2000 graduates. The
researcher likewise requested for an endorsement letter to be presented
to the Professional regulationCommission and to the Registrar so
that records of the medical technology graduates’
45

board examination performance as well as the academic, clinical and

seminar ratings can be availed of respectively.An endorsement letter
from the Dean of CAMP presented to the Registrar enabledthe
researcher to access the grading sheets of the subjects for their grades in
the differentMedical Technology subject areas. Comparison was
made between the data obtainedfrom the Registrar’s Office and
CAMP.For the medical technology graduates’ board examination ratings,
the researcher presented the endorse ment le tter of the Dean
of CAMP to the section chief of the Educational Task Force
of the Professional Regulation Commission. All data collectedwere
encoded using a data matrix table prepared by the researcher
Scope and limitation of the study
This study will focus on developing a web-based help desk system using a problem
tracking technique for Postgraduate UUM-CAS department at UUM. This system will
let users (staff, students or lecturers) to freely interact with the technical support
employees who have the ability to answer all problems related to the postgraduate
services provided by the UUM-CAS. In addition, UUM-CAS postgraduate students
can navigate FAQ section which contains a groups of frequently asked questions that
are related to UUM-CAS Postgraduate department at UUM and they can find their
problem or inquiry there. Moreover, the proposed system will help the students,
lecturers, and staff at UUM-CAS postgraduate department to see the latest UUM-
CAS postgraduate news and articles added by the technical support employees. The
prototype to be developed is based on problem tracking technique.

Scope and Limitation

This study compile with the researchers startedlast January 3,
up to March 5, 2008. Juniors andseniors students of Cordova
Academy are therespondents of this research. This research is
allabout using defense mechanism to the students. Itis stated here in
the research paper about theteenagers do to improve their self
confidence.