Hi everyone! I was hoping that I can ask for a little advice on something that has been perplexing me for the last few months. Recently, my job and duties have undergone some changes (added work...ha ha ha). The unit that I manage is now primarly for oncology/medicine patients with a Hospice component to it. This change has provided me with new and exciting experiences (and new stressors) that have prompted me to seriously reconsider my dissertation "theme" away from Autism and the family. However, I have invested so much time and thought and years in the Autism field, that I do not want to abandon it. I am so unsure of what to do, that it is driving me up a wall. There are many pro's and con's to keeping/changing the dissertation topic (eg: availability of funding, professors with experience in the subject that could be potential advisors, time access to subjects, ect..) that they almost outweigh each other. With much thought, I have narrowed my interest to the following areas: Autism and stressors on the family. End-of-life issues and its effect on the patient and family.b Individuals dealing with a loved one with a chronic physical vs. mental condition. Any advice would be helpful.
When in doubt, throw it in the blender. What about end-of-life care for persons with autism or similar disabilities?
Interesting...iI wonder if there is any research on that. Down's Syndrome would probably have some research in that area, since Down's individuals have many congential health issues and a shortened life span. Not bad Uncle Janko .
How about the communication networks for patients, or about patients. I have heard there has been recent chnges about what can be communicated, as well as how the medical field moves information. It might be an interesting case study.
Initial comment is that hey are all to broad. The amount of work needed for any one of them is very extensive, and could take many years (decade) to research adeqautely. You need to narrow your focus to something that is managable in 2 to 3 years part time. Example: Instead of: Individuals dealing with a loved one with a chronic physical vs. mental condition. Try: Individuals dealing with a loved one with a sudden onset physical condition. With perhaps even finer tuning to: Individuals dealing with a loved one with an accidental loss of limb. Even this topic would cover several thousand people in the US annually.
Mike's point is a good one. There is a tendency to want to do and say it all in this one research project. Many people, I think, start at that place, and eventually evolve into "Let's narrow it way down, get it done, and get on with life -- where further research can be done." That's why we get topics (and titles) that some people regard as silly: Autism and Stressors Among the Families of Cleveland Bus Drivers. The amputee notion. The Role of Hello Kitty in the Onset of Autism. Whatever. Time to re-recommend my two favorite books on this process: Getting What You Came For: the smart student's guide to earning a Master's or a Ph.D. (Robert Peters, Noonday Press,1997), and the wonderful, but sadly out of print Winning the Ph.D. Game by Richard Moore (Dodd Mead).
A site that I have found useful is: Writing and Presenting Your Thesis or Dissertation in particular: As John mentioned, some titles do get unusual but: "Autism and Stressors Among the Families of Cleveland Bus Drivers" is probably more doable, and it can be extrapolated from. Remember the goal is to graduate!
Hi Gina - I completed a large portion of the lit review section of my dissertation before I bailed out of the program. The topic was, "Adolescent Attitudes Toward Death." I can tell you that there's a huge literature on "end-of-life issues" and you would need to have a remarkably new slant on the subject for this to be an acceptable topic. Our Uncle's suggestion regarding the use of a blender may be a very good suggestion . . . end of life issues in families that have an autistic member. Clearly much refinment would be required but it could be interesting. In any case, good luck. Jack
Gina: I agree with Mike's suggestion. It's always very difficult to complete a dissertation that has a very broad focus. Remember that your goal is to graduate and not to solve all the world's problems. The narrower your focus, the better the chances that you will successfully complete your dissertation.
This would make for an excellent topic that should be very amenable to a survey. A USA federal court (maybe even the supreme court) ruled last week on Oregons death with Dignity law (they said its legal). This is often a topic of discussion in the 55+ community where I live and it would seem the majority are in favor of legal euthenasia. At some point this will become a political issue so you will be ahead of the game and could become an expert (convert your dissertation into a book) in demand for TV and as an expert witness.
Dissertation Jack hit on an important facet, is there enough usable literature within the area. Are you pursuing a PhD or a professional doctorate ? Primarily qualitative or quantitative ?
First, I would like to thak everybody for their input and suggestions in this matter. I don't know what I would do without this board. I am going to repeat something that I stated in another post: the decision I need to make is My Dissertation THEME - which is fustrating the hell out of me. Is it better to go for the theme with which I am most familiar (autism)? Or is it more appropriate for me to pick a theme that is more closely in line with my chosen profession? And then narrow it down to some workable topic? These two important, yet completely divergent issues have often plagued my thoughts. I am well versed in the field of Autism and have an enourmous amout of literature and a extensive lit review on the subject. The problem is obtaining acces to the population with the limited schedule that I have, and finding a Dissertation advisor that is fimiliar witht he subject ( none in my school are). My fear is that my fustration will also overtake my motivation to complete my PhD, and I do not want that to happen. A very wise friend of mine posed this statement to me: Quote: "the decision to do your dissertation in the field of Social Work and Autism is extremely relevant on many levels. However, I urge you to think about how the Autism theme works into the "big picture" for your future and, indeed, the remainder of your professional career. You may find that the answer to your dilemma lies to your future goals and direction." As a medical social worker, I deal with a whole host of social issues and populations - so many that it is hard for me to focus on one. The most prominent are the Oncology patients, Elderly, and CVA or Stroke patients ( I also have the Acute Rehab unit on my floor - and I cover that from time to time.) I also have done a number of Guardianship hearings for those elderly who have money. It is constantly simulating and interesting, and I am never bored. I like the Medical aspect of the Social Work field and see myself in it for some time. My ultimate goal is to teach once I get my doctorate. I realize that I would need to narrow down my topic for the Dissertation, but I first need to chose the population I want to work with first. As per a letter from the director of my program, I have until June 20th to decide on a topic and advisor.
Funny Funny, but after submitting the above post, I went back to my application essay just to see why I wanted to apply in the first place, and found this: We Live in a time when there are so many older people, the term “aged” has had to be subdivided into “young old”, “middle old” and “old old”. The fastest growing segment of the Elderly population is the 75 and older generation, sometimes referred to as the "Frail Elderly”. Advances in the Medical Field have also enabled the physically and mentally disabled live more functional and productive lives. Many of us, as we grow older, are fortunate enough to have our parents and/or loved ones with us for a very long time. However, people are not just living longer, they are living longer with disability. Providing care to the elderly and disabled is not a new phenomenon. However, in contemporary society, there are social changes and pressures that make care giving even more difficult. Increased longetivity means that more complicated and frequent care often needs to be provided. Current Caregivers must be skilled at many home-nursing procedures that were not required in the past. Caregivers for the mentally disabled need more assistance in accessing psychological and behavioral services for the caregivee. Family members are often scattered across distant geographic areas, making care giving difficult if not impossible. Caring for an older or disabled adult is a balancing act. The caregiver can find their balance by developing a new way of coping that allows them to recognize and adapt to the ongoing and future stresses in their life. The current economic crisis is exacerbating this situation as the government is cutting funding for programs for the elderly and disabled. This problem resonates deeply with me in my professional life, and I hope to someday work on finding a solution, or provide the research and teaching to help others find a solution. …Frequently, many of these patients are individuals over 65 years of age with multiple medical issues and who are poor or uninsured. If the patient is fortunate enough to have family close by, they have that extra support. Many social policies that are currently in place for the elderly and the disabled are somewhat helpful but not supportive enough for this population, therefore sometimes making discharge planning difficult and the process of assisting families to make difficult choices in regards to their family members quite challenging. For example, the laws governing Medicaid regulations and eligibility make it quite difficult for many to obtain Medicaid benefits. These benefits are essential for prescription coverage and long-term home care, which many require as they become older and more fragile... sorry for the long posts....
