The relevance of ethics in research cannot be overstated. This is more so the case given the need to ensure that all researchers do not deviate from key social and moral values. My research interest has got to do with the potential consequences of an untreated post-traumatic stress disorder. Various studies have in the past sought to assess how untreated post-traumatic disorder affects those suffering from the same. One such study, titled Consequences of Untreated Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following War in Former Yugoslavia: Morbidity, Subjective Quality of Life, and Care Costs, seeks to “assess long-term mental health outcomes in people who suffer from war-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but do not receive appropriate treatment” (Priebe et al., 2009). One of the ethical standards from the readings that the article meets is the procurement of voluntary consent from research participants prior to commencement of the study. In seeking to describe their research methods, the authors of the research article I’ve selected point out that participants were recruited after meeting a specific inclusion criteria. One of the items in the said criteria is “capacity to provide informed consent.” In this case, the authors point out that all the participants (799 in total) gave their consent (in written form) for participation in the study. I am convinced that informed consent is of great relevance in seeking to ensure that all those who participate in each study do so voluntarily. Therefore, it is one of the ethical concerns I will be seeking to uphold. This is more so the case given the need to ensure that all participants are aware of the purpose of research and the inherent risks, if any. For this reason, in addition to ensuring that prospective participants are aware of the procedures to be undertaken, I will also ensure that the said participants understand the study purpose as well as the benefits (and risks) of participating in the study.
1. Describe your refined topic and hypothesis and how this article fits with what you are researching. Describe any changes to your hypothesis brought on by the article.

The refined topic for the study is “The Potential Consequences of an Untreated Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” and the hypothesis is as follows:

H1: Untreated post-traumatic stress disorders reduces the life expectancy of the affected population

H2: Untreated PTSD contributes to higher poverty rates among the affected populations.

H3: Untreated PTSD can have a lasting mental health effect on the victim decades after traumatic events.

The article “Consequences of Untreated Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following War in Former Yugoslavia: Morbidity, Subjective Quality of Life, and Care Costs” (Priebe et al., 2009) explores the longstanding outcomes of mental health for the people who encountered PTSD during a war but have never had the chance to undergo necessary treatment. The outcome of the research by Priebe et al. (2009) reveals that people suffering from war related post-traumatic stress disorder without treatment have higher chances of experiencing the PTSD even after a decade following the traumatic war event (Priebe et al., 2009). The SQOL (subjective quality of life) for the war victims is lower. Such victims also incur higher costs of care. The research also found that factors reported to encourage post-traumatic stress disorder are also fundamental for the recovery process for the PTSD victims....…book.

This research would have been conducted unethically if the principles of research were not adhered to. For instance, if the consent of the participants was not sought then the research would have been unethical. Furthermore, if all the secondary information used was not cited and credited to the actual researcher then the research would be infringing on intellectual property. In the same breath had the researchers (Priebe et al., 2009) doctored, manipulated, falsified, fabricated, or misrepresented the data in order to justify their hypothesis, then the research findings, and outcomes would be misleading and unreliable. This would be unethical and illegal.

The research would be unscientific is the sampling methods used were unreliable. The people recruited for inclusion in the research had to meet certain criteria including the following: Must have been originated from the former Yugoslavia and must have been aged between 18 years and 70 years, the subject must also have been exposed to PTSD following the events of the war, subject must have been diagnosed with PTSD at some point after the war, the subject must not be under or have undergone any psychological or psychiatric treatment at all since the Yugoslavian war, the subject must also have had the capacity to give consent to the research. If any of the stated parameters was overlooked the authenticity of the research outcome would be questionable. Furthermore the interviewers were anthropologists, physicians, and psychologists who underwent more training in order to enhance their capacity to administer study instruments. Had the interviewers not met the professionalism criteria, and have no background in mental health and history the research outcomes would not have been sound.…