Dissertation Ideas....want to run them by you all (and those who have completed theirs)

[jofeb04]

Ok, so I need to get my proposal (before the end of next term), and I am still trying to work out what I want to do it on! So, my general ideas are:

Does a traumatic birth have a negative psychological effect on that baby?

Something about prostitution/porn and feminism

Something about domestic violence in pregnancy, is it a psychological or social issue?

Any thoughts on any of these appreciated? Any other ideas?

I am aware that I need to be more specific, but these are the three areas in which I am interested in, but I can't decide!

Going to be off-line (having a chinese take-away soon), but will check in later.

Forgot one!

Should illegal drugs become legal?

I have just completed my dissertation on psychological trauma in the mother after childirth (postnatal ptsd)-

Had I not chosen that topic then i would have looked at DV during pregnancy.

(good choices!-)

I would choose either the traumatic birth or DV one (although when I was doing my dissertation- there was many recommendations for looking at the effect of traumatic birth on the partner and how it affects family relationships) I didnt see much research on the effects on the infant- although that is not to say that there isnt any out there.

what is your degree in?

Joint Honours in Psychology and Social Welfare but being a birth supporter and trainee antenatal teacher, I am trying to tie the two areas I love together (hoping I won't get too board with it then!).

Does there have to be a lot of research already done on the topic?

Also thinking should prostitution of being legal!

Getting more bloody ideas than removing them thouough!

Another one (talking to my dh as well about this) is whether teenagers become "naughty" through nature or nuture, and something else along the lines of "is it psychologial or social issues which teenage girls think of with teenage pregnancy and sex in general".

Any one else? Or those who have completed dissertations ages ago!

sounds all really good...
how about how bonding with the Baby is effected through the kind of birth the mother experienced...and looking at objective and subjective experience, if that makes sense? Because you can have a traumatic Birth and not be traumatised and ou can have, what others may consider a normal uneventful Birth and be very traumatized....looking at how expecteation influences Birthexperience...

Is there much research on the first one? I would have thought it would be difficult to separate out the effects of a traumatic birth from other experiences of a baby and studying babies is difficult. Seems the most interesting area to me though.

What is your word limit? Some of these choices would probably have a huge amount of research on them already - summarising it could be a big job - the nature/nuture thing for example or legalising pornography.

Do you have to do any research?

Thanks for the messages.

We have to do research, and whilst I really want to do the first one, there is hardly any research either way.

Still not too sure which direction to go.

The one on DV in pregnancy would be really interesting - would love to know why DV often starts or escalates during partners' pregnancy.

I would also look at DV in pregnancy.

There are many studies that indicate DV may start or exacerbate during pregnancy.

Look at articles published by G.Mezey and L.Bacchus. They have researched a lot in this area.

I have a book by Lyn Shipway (relating to DV- it has a fairly substantial reference list with numerous research articles identified) which I used for a research module at university, you are welcome to borrow it for some ideas if you like.

I like the DV idea, only concern is actually getting the research (and ethics) with talking to women about these issues.

If you know whether this is possible, and it is positive, I may have made my mind up.....finally!

Ethics can take months to go through, I would submit an application to your university ethics committee asap.

Thanks for that QM.

Could I borrow the book, thinking it may be worth buying in the future, I just want to make sure it is suitable.

If so, my email is

jopowell1 at yahoo dot co dot uk.

First one sounds great.

"prostitution/porn and feminism" & "DV in Pregnancy" - been done to death (no pun intended)

GJB, Does it matter then if there is not alot of research into the subject area?

Confused between my first idea and the DV one, mainly about the lack of research into the first idea.

Ummm....trumatic birth / lack of attachment (theory!)/psychological welfare of child perhaps?

DO you mean in subject area for number 1 or the other two.

As far as the porn, prostitution, feminism, Dv stuff goes look in Women's Studies/Gender Studies/Feminism sections of libraries/journals etc - there's loads of stuff out there (research wise) from decades ago right up to the present day.

As long as you can find something to back up your research,it shouldn't matter if there isn't much research available. My first dissertation was on False Memory Syndrome and it's impact on Feminism - the only thing I found was one journal containing anything at all on the subject (this was back in the early 1990's), but I managed to get in touch with a couple of professionals and it grew from there.

Your first step, before making any decisions might be to try and book some time with relevant professionals. If you're not sure who these might be, try asking your GP. That's where I started (with a very basic interest and lots of confusion) and he gave me my initial contact who turned out to be a bloomin godsend.

In terms of research, having problems with Subject no 1 (the one in connection to trumatic birth and psychological effect on baby).

Finding alot about DV in pregnancy, and (my other idea!), depression in mum and child development.

Thanks for the advice. All things to think about.

I think they all sound like good ideas! You could possibly manage to devise something that incorporates these ideas in other ways too. Pregnancy, traumatic birth, DV, drug use, prostituation, porn, feminism could all be studied with each other in so many different ways, I suppose you need to take the angle that would most interest you. I had two ideas for my diss which seem to be merging into one unique idea as I write my proposal, it seems to be writting itsef actually, I keep getting inspired moments, whch is good, I think when you get a focus that you feel strongly about and have lots of ideas it will come together.
I hope I don't sound smug, many months have been spent getting stressed and I also have to get through ethics yet fingers crossed. I suppose the ethics board is something to be avoided if you can modify your topic to do so!

I've decided it!

Planning on:
Truamatic birth and how it may effect the psychological welfare of the infant through attachment concerns (using pnd to help).

Just need to write my proposal now and hope it is excepted!

Thanks for all the help

Yay, well done!

sounds brill...best of luck...not that you will need it

Lol...I may need some luck

Going to be buying some more attachment textbooks for some reading. Just hope I get through ethics (can't really see any major issues though).