Research Perspectives Used for the Study of Families

Research is a systematic problem-solving endeavor, an investigation for the purpose of answering questions. Unlike the linear steps of a scientific method that are sometimes presented in the classroom, theory and research exist within a cyclical process in which theory may guide research questions asked, and the results of the research will revise, expand, or negate theory—which leads to additional questions and research activity. Research is not a linear process and can veer off its well-thought-out path; preliminary results and unintended consequences can produce abandonment of initial questions, a switch to new methods, or a search for different types of participants. Such change is a reflection not of failed research, but of an evolving, flexible, and growth-oriented process. Research on families and health emerges from ...