Developing a Research Question

There are almost endless controversies occurring in the field of psychology. With the nature of the field, most of these questions are based in ethics and morals. These controversies are often difficult to resolve, thus creating fascinating conversations and arguments.

I came up with a few questions that I might want to explore further through Project 2.
(The text in blue is why I am interested in each topic)

1. How do modern forms of technology affect the ways that therapists and their clients communicate? 

• Other questions that fall under this category are
• Should texting, emailing, Facebook messaging, and Skype calls count as billable appointments, or should therapists always be reachable to their clients free of charge? 
• Should therapists be held accountable if someone, in the middle of a psychological emergency, cannot reach their counselor, and as a result, follows through with self-harm?
• Is it ethical for therapists to be Facebook friends with their current or past clients?
• Before the days of modern forms of communication, psychologists could only be reached during scheduled appointments. They rarely provided their personal phone numbers, and as a result, they were not available if a client needed help in an emergency.

In today's world, everyone is expected to be reachable at all times. I am interested in how this relates to the expectations between psychologists and their clients. 

2. Have the viewpoints on sexuality and gender dysphoria changed recently in the eyes of psychologists? If so, should these changes be reflected in the DSM?

• Homosexuality was removed as a mental disorder from the DSM in 1986, but is still viewed as such by many people. People are even less accepting of gender identity issues than they are of homosexuality. 

This is an issue that I am passionate about. As a supporter of LGBT rights, it is disheartening to me to see how these issues are being viewed in psychology. Even with all of the recent research saying otherwise, many people believe that homosexuality and gender identity questioning are phases or conscious decisions. 

A friend of mine who is transgender was put into therapy as a kid to try to convince her that it was all in her head, and she has had severe depression as a result. Being told that you are crazy for being who you are is absolutely wrong. This should not still be happening in modern society. 

3. What changes need to be made in how the mental health of prisoners is viewed and treated?

•  As a society, we ignore the glaring problems that exist within our prison system. Prison is treated like time-out for criminals: let them sit there and think about what they did, and hopefully, they will be released as reformed, healthy citizens. This hands-off approach is resulting in the highest number of prisoners per capita worldwide, and most first time criminals are arrested soon again being released. 
• If we begin treating the mental issues of prisoners, perhaps they could become functioning, productive members of society being released.

This topic is especially fascinating to me, because I have considered a degree in criminal justice. While I chose psychology instead, I still am passionate about our justice system and how criminals are viewed and treated.