Research Design

Research Design

For my dissertation, I have chosen to do a qualitative research design.  I chose this because of having access to a smaller sample size and also being able to examine the emotions associated with workload and how changing to a 3:1 service delivery model alleviates the stress. 

The Purpose Statement

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand SLPs' experiences with the 3:1 service delivery model in the state of Georgia. 

Research Questions

Central Question

1) What are SLPs' experiences with the 3:1 service delivery model in the state of Georgia?

Subquestions

1) What are SLPs' experiences with job-related stress in the state of Georgia?

2) How have SLPs' experiences with the 3:1 service delivery model affected their job-related stress levels?

3)How does using the 3:1 service delivery model affect SLPs' intent to stay in the profession?

For my research methods class, I am planning on taking Qualitative Methods.  Is that the most appropriate for my dissertation?

Purpose Statement and Research Questions

The Purpose Statement

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand SLPs' experiences with the 3:1 service delivery model in the state of Georgia. 

Research Questions

Central Question

1) What are SLPs' experiences with the 3:1 service delivery model in the state of Georgia?

Subquestions

1) What are SLPs' experiences with job-related stress in the state of Georgia?

2) How have SLPs' experiences with the 3:1 service delivery model affected their job-related stress levels?

3)How does using the 3:1 service delivery model affect SLPs' intent to stay in the profession?

Literature Review

Starting with a Literature Map...

When researching my problem statement, I came onto a problem.  There was little to no research completed about the 3:1 service delivery model.  What little was published was not in peer-reviewed journals so I began to expand my research out to the variety of factors that play into 3:1 service delivery and SLP retention in the schools.  Various searches that I completed looked at not only 3:1 service delivery model but also different service delivery models, SLP retention, caseload, workload, and factors influencing perceived stress levels by SLPs in the schools.  From there, I was able to start organizing my literature into the literature map.  This will aid in writing a well organized literature review. 

My Problem Statement

Link
In my experience, the chief complaint of Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) nationwide is the size of our caseloads and the resulting workload.  I am fortunate to work in a district that keeps our numbers around 40 students but I have been in districts where I have seen as many as 94!  Throughout my discussions with school-based SLPs in a private Facebook group, I found that people started talking about a new service delivery model and how much they loved it.  It was called the 3:1 service delivery model.  SLPs were commenting on how they hardly ever brought home paperwork anymore, their stress levels went down, and they felt like the kids were getting better Speech and Language services when compared to a traditional service delivery model.

My Problem Statement

Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) nationwide are leaving the school-based setting due to high caseload numbers and inadequate pay.  Despite state caps on the sizes of caseloads, SLPs report feeling increased levels of stress as the regulatory paperwork increases.  This problem is affecting the speech and language services provided to the children as qualified SLPs become harder to not only hire but retain.  The 3:1 service delivery model could lead to reduced feelings of stress despite high caseload numbers which could lead to improved retention for districts.  However, a lack of research exists examining the SLPs' perceived stress levels when comparing traditional therapy models versus 3:1 service delivery model.