Reimers, 2015) Determined That Sampling Methods Have

¶ … Reimers, 2015) determined that sampling methods have proven to be a very efficient an intuitive method of understanding different properties as they are presented in research. Sampling methods for this specific study will be somewhat constrained based upon the fact that the target population will be derived from a small community facility located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Additionally, the sampling method must concern itself with the fact that the researcher is attempting to evaluate qualitative results and according to Reimers (2015) qualitative results that are obtained from sampling methods should be considered with caution (p. 1). It is expedient therefore that the researcher choose the correct type of sampling methodology to achieve the best possible results. In this regard, this study looked at a variety of sampling methods and determined that a modified convenience sampling would likely work very well.

Convenience sampling allows the researcher to work with a population that is convenient to him/her. In this regard, since the participants will be attending eight-week sessions at the Mebane center, ready access to the participants is very convenient to the researcher. It is also convenient for the participants; they will be committed to attending the eight-week session and will also provide to the researcher(s) a captured audience.

There are a number of advantages to convenience sampling that benefit the researcher of this study, but at the same time there are a number of disadvantages that need to be considered as well. Some of the disadvantages are that oftentimes a convenience study is not capable of being generalized to the total population. In this particular study that may not be as big a concern as normal convenience sampling would be. Gilliland, Clark, Kobrzynski, and Filler (2015) determined that an effective evaluation "requires local-level data" (p.

1332) and that is specifically what this particular sampling method offers to the researcher; local-level data. The researcher of this study is selecting from participants who are seeking assistance in developing parental skills and the participants are likely to be demographically similar to other individuals in other communities that are seeking the same type of learning and education.

Since oftentimes the validity of results derived from convenience sampling depend largely on the researcher convincing readers that the participants equate to the population from which they are drawn, then that should be a relatively simple matter for this researcher(s) since the participants in this case are exactly equivalent to the population that the study wishes to include and test; at least in a demographic sense. The sample size will include all the participants in the three eight-week sessions or approximately 45 different familial entities.

These participants should be quite representative of the target population since they come directly from the target population. Each of the participants will be offered a consent form (written in either English or Spanish) that explains the study's goals, objectives, training offered, advantages and disadvantages of participation. The consent form will clarify a number of areas of concern including the purpose of the study as well as the possible benefits to society.

The form will describe the study procedures, the training that will be conducted, and any potential risks or discomforts that might arise. The study does not anticipate compensating the participants except through the free training classes and this will be spelled out as well. Many participants will likely be concerned with confidentiality issues, and the informed consent should allay those fears to a certain degree by addressing those concerns in a forthright and upfront manner.

Last but not least, the consent form will spell out the fact that participation is entirely on a voluntary basis and that the participants have the right to withdraw at any time and for any reason. The participants will be asked to sign the consent form signifying comprehension and acceptance of participation.

Measurement The major concepts under study include the skills and knowledge gained through an 8-week parenting course and the resulting improvements (or lack thereof) in incidences of empathy and attitudes as well as in knowledge of appropriate expectations in child-rearing situations. The dependent variable the study seeks to measure is whether a specific parenting training program can benefit participants by providing learning in a number of different areas including stress reduction and improved behavioral issues in the parent's offspring. The independent variables include the training and.