Dissertation

It's difficult for a group of strangers to answer this question without any background. Here are my suggestions:

1) Talk to your professor for some ideas

2) What are your interests in mental health? Depression, PTSD, etc?

3) Are there any particular treatment options you are interested in like ECT, etc.?

4) What population are you interested in ? Geriatric, pediatric, adolescent, women, minorities, etc?

If you provide more information, along with the instructions you were given for the assignment, then we can better help you.

Thank you, I should have been a little bit more specific.

My current interests are currently around psychosis in adolescents. I have also been doing some research on how professional attitudes can impact on treatment, which i have found interesting.

I have also read a little about how social class plays a role in the development of MH (which is a bit to broad).

As you can tell I am still at an indecisive stage!

Perhaps the approach I learned in NP school will be helpful. We used PICO. The examples below are my own work.

1. What is the practice issue?

(This section should be 2-3 paragraphs where you give a detailed description of the practice issue. What are the dimensions of this problem? You will need to give your sources for this information in APA style.)

Example first sentence: ECT is underutilized in the treatment of adolescents with treatment resistant depression (TRD). ECT should be considered earlier and more often in treating adolescents with TRD.

2. Rationale:

Why is this issue important professionally?

(This will likely include the magnitude of the problem, the severity, important implications for patients and society. Again, remember to cite your references here.)

Example of intro to the rationale: Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses among adolescents, with a prevalence of 11.7% among 13 to 18 year olds. Depression is associated with increased risk of anxiety disorders, alcohol abuse, smoking, educational underachievement, underemployment, and suicide attempts. Suicide is one of the leading causes of mortality among young people and alarmingly, one third of depressed teens will attempt suicide at least once.

3. What are the PICO Components plus example:

P (Patient, population, or problem): Adolescents suffering from treatment-resistant depression

I (Intervention): Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

C (Comparison with usual or routine care): Anti-depressant medications

O (Outcomes): decreased time improvement (as measured by a scale such as the CGI-I), longer remission periods, and reduced hospitalizations for severe depression

4.State the search question in narrow, manageable terms:

(This should be one sentence with the above components.)

Example: For adolescents suffering from treatment-resistant (severe) depression, is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) a more effective treatment than anti-depressant medications as measured by decreased time to improvement (as measured by a scale such as the CGI-I), longer remission periods, and reduced hospitalizations for severe depression?

5. 8 - 10 literature citations.

Using this process will help you narrow down your topic for searching. The citations will be the basis for your lit review.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Thank you, I feel this will be a great help ☺️

10,000 words? God bless you.

I have found that every time I write a paper, it helps to just kind of brainstorm and stick any old idea in there. You know - throw it against a wall and see if it sticks? It also helps to whittle down your topic. I think that can be the hardest part of starting anything, e. g. too many choices and too many generalities. Hit the specifics and then see if it's long enough, and go from there.

Thank you I think that is what I am going to have to do as every time I pick a topic I end up changing for one reason or another!

Definitely to many ideas and generalities is why I feel stuck ATM but I'll get there in the end ☺️