36Dissertation ProspectusComment by Astur, Ro.docx

36
Dissertation Prospectus Comment by Astur, Robert: Hi James,
Thanks for sharing this. I can see that you have worked hard on
this and that you have a passion for this field. We are going to
ZOOM tonight, so I want to get you back my first set of
comments before we talk. Going forward, you will need to
address a number of things:
1) It is not clear what the gap is. Why does this research need
to be done? What has been done so far and how will this
project help to close that gap? You cite one study by Bowdoin
which clearly stated that PCMH does not affect expenditures or
care. So, how is this a gap?
2) You need to provide scientific citations for your statements.
You cannot rely on CDC and other websites because they are
not peer-reviewed and are less reliable. Offhand, you have very
few citations to your work.
3) You need to proofread your work or have somebody else
proofread it. You have numerous errors throughout, and it is
not the role of me or the rest of the committee to fix these for
you. They detract from your overall writing.
I look forward to learning more from you over our ZOOM.
Thanks James!

Robert
Factors Influencing Individuals' Decision to Utilize Mental
Health in South Texas
The Prospectus Overview and Instructions
Prospectus Instructions:
1. Read the entire Prospectus Template to understand the
requirements for writing your prospectus. Each section contains
a narrative overview of what should be included in the section
and a table with required criteria for each section. WRITE TO
THE CRITERIA, as they will be used to assess the prospectus
for overall quality and feasibility of your proposed research
study.
2. As you draft each section, delete the narrative instructions
and insert your work related to that section. Use the criterion
table for each section to ensure that you address the
requirements for that particular section. Do not delete/remove
the criterion table as this is used by you and your committee to
evaluate your prospectus.
3. Prior to submitting your prospectus for review by your chair
or methodologist, use the criteria table for each section to
complete a realistic self-evaluation, inserting what you believe
is your score for each listed criterion into the Learner Self-
Evaluation column. This is an exercise in self-evaluation and
critical reflection, and to ensure that you completed all sections,
addressing all required criteria for that section.
4. The scoring for the criteria ranges from a 0-3 as defined
below. Complete a realistic and thoughtful evaluation of your
work. Your chair and methodologist will also use the criterion
tables to evaluate your work.

5. Your Prospectus should be no longer than 6-10 pages when
the tables are deleted.
Score
Assessment
0
Item Not Present
1
Item is Present. Does Not Meet Expectations. Revisions are
Required: Not all components are present. Large gaps are
present in the components that leave the reader with significant
questions. All items scored at 1 must be addressed by learner
per reviewer comments.
2
Item is Acceptable. Meets Expectations.Some Revisions May Be
Required Now or in the Future. Component is present and
adequate. Small gaps are present that leave the reader with
questions. Any item scored at 2 must be addressed by the
learner per the reviewer comments.
3
Item Exceeds Expectations. No Revisions Required. Component
is addressed clearly and comprehensively. No gaps are present
that leave the reader with questions. No changes required.
Dissertation Prospectus
Introduction
Mental health is a major issue around the World. The United
Nations (UN, 2015), has identified the issue as one of its

Sustainable Development Goals. The UN expressed its
uncertainty regarding the extent at which major social
determinants of mental disorders is being addressed Worldwide
(WHO, 2015). Therefore, it is developing a conceptual
framework that will address the social determinants and aligns
it with its sustainable development goals so that it can
systematically review the evidences about the social
determinants and identify potential mechanisms and targets for
interventions (Lund, et.al, 2018). Accordingly, the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA),
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the
U.S. Department of Justice, every year in this country, millions
of people suffer from mental illness. The high numbers
necessitate raising public awareness and start campaigning for a
much better health care system (Hamilton.et.al, 2016). In 2018,
47.6 million people in the U.S. experienced mental illness
which means 1 in every 5 adults. 11.4 million Adults between
ages 25 and 35 had an episode of serious mental illness. In
2016, 7.7 million youths aged 6-17 experienced some sort of
mental health disorder, while 9.2 million people were reported
to have experienced substance use disorder (National Alliance
on Mental Illness, 2019). Comment by Astur, Robert: Please can
you explain what this means? Comment by Astur, Robert:
Please can you break down this complex sentence into smaller
and more manageable sentences? Comment by Astur, Robert:
You have numerous grammatical errors in your prospectus.
Please correct them or have somebody else correct them. It is
not my role to do this, but it needs to be done. I will not
comment on this each time I see problems though, because there
are too many to comment on. Comment by Astur, Robert:
Please provide citations for these statistics.
According to Kohn, et. al, (2018), there are emphasis on the gap
in mental health treatment in the American Region when
examined through the prevalence of mental health disorders, use
of mental health services, and the global burden of disease.
Statistical data from community-based surveys of mental

disorders in the various countries in America including
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, and the United States etc.
were utilized. The World Mental Health Survey published data
were used in estimating professional the treatment gap. For
Canada, Chile, and Guatemala, the treatment gap was calculated
from data files. The mean, median, and weighted treatment gap,
and the 12-month prevalence by severity and category of mental
disorder were estimated for the general adult, child-adolescent,
and indigenous populations. Disability-adjusted Life Years and
Years Lived with Disability were calculated from the Global
Burden of Disease study. Mental and substance use disorders
accounted for 10.5% of the global burden of disease in the
Americas (Kohn, Ali, Puac-Polanco, Figueroa, López-Soto,
Morgan, & Vicente, 2018). Comment by Astur, Robert: What
does this mean? Comment by Astur, Robert: This details is
not necessary here. Perhaps you can use this place to describe
what the pressing issue is? Comment by Astur, Robert: I am
not sure where you are going with this yet, but you will not be
able to use such global stats if you are going to focus on the
US. I am sure there are US stats that are more readily available.
But, I will read on to see what direction you take this.
Comment by Astur, Robert: Please revisit how to cite
articles by multiple authors.
Bowdoin, Rodriguez-Monguio, Puleo, Keller, & Roche, (2018)
emphasized that patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is a
model meant for improving health outcomes while at the same
time meant to contain the cost of care. Yet, the evidence is
inconclusive. This study aims at studying and examining the
links between care provided in consistent with the PCMH and
healthcare services utilization as well as expenditures for non-
aging citizens who are suffering mental illness in the United
States. A survey that was conducted which used self-reported
data of 6908 non-aging adults suffering mental illness
participated in the 2007-2012 Medical Expenditure Panel
Survey. Participants involved in the study on utilization of
healthcare services were compared with expenditures on care

consistent with the PCMH, other participants include non-
PCMH usual source of care (USC), and participants without a
USC. The outcome showed differences in utilization and
expenditures between participants who were provided with care
consistent with the PCMH and the volunteers who had a non-
PCMH USC showed non statistical importance for any
healthcare services category. The conclusion demonstrated that
there are consistencies in care received with the PCMH was not
significantly linked with differences in healthcare services
utilization or expenditures when compared to having a non-
PCMH USC. Comment by Astur, Robert: Please correct this
citation in your REFERENCE section. Comment by Astur,
Robert: Why do you say this? The Bowdoin study showed that
it did not have any reduction in expenditures? Are there
conflicting studies that show that it does reduce expenditures?
Comment by Astur, Robert: Which study? Yours ? Or
another one? Comment by Astur, Robert: I am not sure how
you are interpreting this. Comment by Astur, Robert: What does
this mean to you? It means that there are no observable
differences between the groups, correct?
This is a research study will examine how mental health
providers describe the factors influencing individuals' decision
to utilize mental health services in South Texas. The study is
important in understanding the major reasons for utilizing and
reasons that limit utilization of mental health services in the
State and recommending ways through which the issues can be
resolved. Comment by Astur, Robert: At this point, it is
unclear why this is important to research – or, put another way,
why this is a gap? Comment by Astur, Robert: These are
different issues, right? Understanding the reasons is one issues.
Recommending resolution is another.
Criteria
Learner Self-Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair Evaluation Score

(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
Introduction
This section briefly overviews the research focus or problem,
why this study is worth conducting, and how this study will be
completed.
The recommended length for this section is two to three
paragraphs.
1. Dissertation topic is introduced along with why the study is
needed.
2. Provides a summary of results from the prior empirical
research on the topic.
3. Using results, societal needs, recommendations for further
study, or needs identified in three to five research studies
(primarily from the last three years), the learner identifies the
stated need, called a gap
4. Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a
logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct
sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct
APA format.
NOTE: This Introduction section elaborates on the Topic from
the 10 Strategic Points. This Introduction section provides the
foundation for the Introduction section in Chapter 1 of the

Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Background of the Problem
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
mental health has become a significant public health issue in the
United States that requires immediate attention and must be
diagnosed at its early stages. Without an early diagnosis and
treatment, children and adolescents may experience problems in
the home, at school and among friends including issues with
forming friendships (CDC, 2018). Accordingly, researchers
have explored some barriers relating to the utilization of mental
health service, notwithstanding, there were other factors that
may also influence individuals' decision to not utilize mental
health. Comment by Astur, Robert: REF Comment by
Astur, Robert: Can you elaborate and with more scientific
referencing? Comment by Astur, Robert: REF?
Results indicates that experienced providers who encounter
some level of burden may likely utilize mental services than
others who do not experience any burden. Providers that
experience high level of burden will likely 15 times or more
utilize mental health services (OR =13.70; 95% CI 10.58-17.74,
p<0.001). Similarly, the caregivers that experience serious signs
of depression or anxiety in their child or adolescent (OR=1.55;
95% CI 1.21-1.98; p<0.05) will tend to use the services more
than the caregivers who experience mild or no sign of
depression or anxiety. The mental health status of the caregiver
is of no significance and has no influence on need and
utilization (Grayson, 2016). Comment by Astur, Robert:
REF? Do you mean providers? Or patients? Comment by
Astur, Robert: REF.
I am going to stop commenting on every sentence that requires
scientific citations. In general, if you are making a statement

that is not common knowledge, you need to provide a scientific
citation. For example, if you are citing stats, or effects, or
outcomes, etc. All need a citation. Please try to resolve this for
your paper.
Misra, S. M., Guffey, D., Roth, I., & Giardino, A. P. (2017) in
their article “Complementary and Alternative Medicine use in
Uninsured Children in Texas”, the authors describe the concept
relating to the use of complementary and alternative medicine
(CAM) for mental health treatment among children in this
Southern State County. According to the authors, CAM use
among US children stands at 12%. According to the 2012
National Health Interview Study. The research suggests that
there are a number of uninsured population due to their limited
access to care, which resulted in higher CAM use. A survey of
250 uninsured patients at various pediatric facilities in a free
mobile clinic program showed a very high use by Hispanic
population, their rate of CAM use in the last 12 months was
close to 50% among children and 60% among parents. One
Southern State has placed a lot of effort into improving the
health care treatment of children; according to that 2012
research report conducted a study National Health Interview
Study. Research study suggests that facilities that the services
offered are inversely proportional to the allocation provided.
Misra and the rest have concluded that this issue has raised a lot
of concern since the mental health of the people remain to be
very low despite the efforts implanted. Research showed that
some institutions have released a lot of funds to run this sector.
This research also showed that this Sothern State receive the
second largest allocation for mental health. Comment by
Astur, Robert: Please revisit how to cite articles. Comment by
Astur, Robert: Which? Comment by Astur, Robert: How does
this contribute to your story? Comment by Astur, Robert: Why
do you use this terminology? Can you just name the state?
Based on the data collected, a gap was identified regarding the
factors that affect the utilization of Mental health facilities
within the county. Various people within the mental healthcare

profession have done research on some factors that may deter
people from receiving mental healthcare. The literature on the
mental health gap in the county has revealed major reasons as to
why the gap exists. Stigmatization and low income are some
reasons as to why the gap exists in the county.
Criteria
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
Background of the Problem
This section uses the literature to provide the reader with a
definition and statement of the research gap and problem the
study will address. This section further presents a brief
historical perspective of when the problem started and how it
has evolved over time.
The recommended length for this section is two-three
paragraphs.
1. Includes a brief discussion demonstrating how literature has
established the gap and a clear statement informing the reader
of the gap.
2
2. Discusses how the “need” or “defined gap” has evolved
historically into the current problem or opportunity to be
addressed by the proposed study (citing seminal and/or current
research).
2
3. ALIGNMENT: The problem statement for the dissertation

will be developed from and justified by the “need” or “defined
gap” that is described in this section and supported by the
empirical research literature published within the past 3-5 years.
2
APA format.
2
NOTE: This Background of the Problem section uses
information from the Literature Review in the 10 Strategic
Points. This Background of the Problem section becomes the
Background of the Study in Note, this section develops the
foundation for Chapter 1 in the Proposal. It is then expanded to
develop the comprehensive Background to the Problem section
and Identification of the GAP sections in Chapter 2 (Literature
Review) in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Theoretical Foundations/Conceptual Framework and Review of
the Literature/Themes
Theoretical literature
There is the need to understand the consequences of both
effective utilization and non-utilization of mental health as it
evolved historically. Mental health services in this Southern
State has faced several challenges. Texas (2017) asserts that
people suffering from mental illness still faces problems despite
the huge costs that are directed towards the healthcare.
Schwartz, (2017) in support of this Southern State argue that the
increased growth-rate of populations in one specific county

located in a Southern State has impacted the health sector at
large. The high population together with economic constrains
has led to few medical insurances which limits access to health.
The access to, and utilization of mental health care for the
populations living in this county has created a gap within the
State (Children at Risk, 2013).
Literature Themes
Review of the literature review identified the following themes:
· Lack of proper mental health education and infrastructure has
been the major factor affecting the utilization of mental health.
Goldman Robin & Chester (2018) in his research found out that
women who had been exposed to sexual abuse and drug abuse
formed the high numbers of people who utilize mental health
services among the Hispanic and non-white people in the
county. Augsberger, Yeung, Dougher, & Hahm, (2015) in
support of this research argued that mental health services had
been underutilized by Asian women living in this county, as a
result of both cultural needs and mismatch of the services
offered in the health facilities in this Southern State.
· Lack of medical insurance. Research has shown that many
people due to poor economic status has left many people
without health insurance as they cannot afford. This limits many
average and lower-class families from accessing mental illness
services (Children at Risk, 2013).
· Poor perception among the community members. Researchers
reveals that many people who live in this county perceive child
mental illness as a mere sign of hunger besides poor diets. This
has left many people neglecting utilization of mental healthcare
in the community (Children at Risk, 2013).
The theoretical model for this research gap is the Albert
Bandura, Social Cognitive Theory. The Social Cognitive
Theory: Examines the context of health promotion and disease
prevention. It helps to describe how motivations in health and
behaviors are influenced by the interaction people’s beliefs,
environment, and behaviors. It was advocated by famous
psychologists Albert Bandura (Morin, 2019).

Major components of the theory in relation to individual
behavior change include:
· Self-efficacy: The belief that an individual has control over
and is able to execute a behavior.
· Behavioral capability: Understanding and having the skill to
perform a behavior.
· Expectations: Determining the outcomes of behavior change.
· Expectancies: Assigning a value to the outcomes of behavior
change.
· Self-control: Regulating and monitoring individual behavior.
· Observational learning: Watching/observing outcomes of
others performance or modeled behavior.
· Reinforcements: Promoting incentives and rewards that
encourage behavior change (Eslami, Norozi, Hajihosseini,
Ramazani, & Miri, 2018).
Criteria
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
Theoretical Foundations and/or Conceptual Framework
This section identifies the theory(s) or model(s) that provide the
foundation for the research. This section should present the
theory(s) or models(s) and explain how the problem under
investigation relates to the theory or model. The theory(s) or
models(s) guide the research questions and justify what is being
measured (variables) as well as how those variables are related
(quantitative) or the phenomena being investigated (qualitative).
Review of the Literature/Themes
This section provides a broad, balanced overview of the existing
literature related to the proposed
research topic. It describes the literature in related topic areas
and its relevance to the proposed research topic findings,

providing a short 3-4 sentence description of each theme and
identifies its relevance to the research problem supporting it
with at least two citations from the empirical literature from the
past 3-5 years.
The recommended length for this section is 1 paragraph for
Theoretical Foundations and a bulleted list for Literature
Themes section.
1. Theoretical Foundationssection identifies the theory(s),
model(s) relevant to the variables (quantitative study) or
phenomenon (qualitative study). This section should explain
how the study topic or problem coming out of the “need” or
“defined gap” in the as described in the Background to the
Problem section relates to the theory(s) or model(s) presented in
this section. (One paragraph)
1.5
2. Review of the Literature Themes section: This section is a
bulleted list of the major themes or topics related to the
research topic. Each theme or topic should have a one-two
sentence summary.
1.5
3. ALIGNMENT: The Theoretical Foundations models and
theories need to be related to and support the problem statement
or study topic. The sections in the Review of the Literature are
topical areas needed to understand the various aspects of the
phenomenon (qualitative) or variables/groups (quantitative)
being studied; to select the design needed to address the
Problem Statement; to select surveys or instruments to collect
information on variables/groups; to define the population and
sample for the study; to describe components or factors that
comprise the phenomenon; to describe key topics related to the
study topic, etc.

1.5
APA format.
1.5
NOTE: The two parts of this section use information about the
Literature Review and Theoretical Foundations/Conceptual
Framework from the 10 Strategic Points.
This Theoretical Foundations section is expanded upon to
become the Theoretical Foundations section in Chapter 2
(Literature Review). The Theoretical Foundations and the
Literature Review sections are also used to help create the
Advancing Scientific Knowledge/Review of the Literature
section in Chapter 2 (Literature Review).
Reviewer Comments:
Problem Statement
It is not known what is influencing individuals' decision to not
utilize mental health in the United States. It is not known how
mental health providers describe the factors influencing
individuals' decision to utilize mental health services. While
there are increasing mental health cases among the children in
the county, the research topics seek to identify the key issues
that prevent the people of this county from utilizing the mental
health services and facilities.
Criteria
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)

Reviewer Score
(0-3)
Problem Statement
This section includes the problem statement, the population
affected, and how the study will contribute to solving the
problem.
The recommended length for this section is one paragraph.
1. States the specific problem proposed for research with a clear
declarative statement.
1.5
Describes the population of interest affected by the problem.
The general population refers to all individuals that could be
affected by the study problem.
1.5
Describes the unit of analysis.
For qualitative studies this describes how the phenomenon will
be studied. This can be individuals, group, or organization
under study.
For quantitative studies, the unit of analysis needs to be defined
in terms of the variable structure (conceptual, operational, and
measurement).
1.5
Discusses the importance, scope, or opportunity for the problem
and the importance of addressing the problem.
1.5
The problem statement is developed based on the need or gap
defined in the Background to the Study section.
2

Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a logical
flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses correct sentence
structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses correct APA
format.
1.5
NOTE: This section elaborates on the Problem Statement from
the 10 Strategic Points. This section becomes the foundation for
the Problem Statement section in Chapter 1 and other Chapters
where appropriate in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to
examine how mental health providers describe the factors
influencing individuals' decision to utilize mental health
services in South Texas. The purpose of the study is to come
with the factors that either influence or deter the people in the
State from accessing the much-needed mental healthcare. The
study will employ a qualitative study that will target mental
health providers within the State who are service providers that
care for the mentally challenged, and compare factors impacting
utilization and non-utilization of mental services available in
the State. The study will make recommendation on how to
improve the mental health accessibility in the State. It identified
multiple factors that are associated with both the utilization and
under-utilization of specialty mental health services among the
people living in the State such as delays in observing and
recognizing the symptoms and how to seek help, the absence of
appropriate mental health providers, and lack of health
insurance.
Criteria

(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This section reflects what the study is about, connecting the
problem statement, methodology & research design, target
population, variables/phenomena, and geographic location.
1. Begins with one sentence that identifies the research
methodology and design, target population, variables
(quantitative) or phenomena (qualitative) to be studied and
geographic location.
1.5
Quantitative Studies: Defines the variables and relationship of
variables.
Qualitative Studies: Describes the nature of the phenomena to
be explored.
1.5
format.
1.5
NOTE: This section elaborates on information in the Purpose
Statement from the 10 Strategic Points. This section becomes
the foundation for the Purpose of the Study section in Chapter 1
and other Chapters where appropriate in the Proposal.

Reviewer Comments:
Research Questions
The following research questions will help to guide this
qualitative study:
· RQ1: How do mental health providers describe the influence
of self-efficacy on individuals’ decision to utilize mental health
services?
· H1: Self-efficacy influences individuals’ decision to utilize
mental health services.
of behavioral capacity on individuals’ decision to utilize mental
health services?
· H2: Behavioral capacity influences individuals’ decision to
utilize mental health services.
of expectations on individuals’ decision to utilize mental health
services?
· H3: Expectations influence individuals’ decision to utilize
mental health services.
Criteria
(0-3)
Chair Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
Research Question(s) and/or Hypotheses
· The recommendation is a minimum of two research questions
along with related hypotheses and variables is required for a
quantitative study.
· Also recommended is a minimum of two research questions
along with the phenomenon description is required for a
qualitative study.
· Put the Research Questions in the appropriate Table in
Appendix B based on whether the study is qualitative or

quantitative.
The recommended length for this section is a list of research
questions and associated hypotheses (quantitative)
1. Qualitative Studies: States the research question(s) the study
will answer and describes the phenomenon to be studied.
Quantitative Studies: States the research questions the study
will answer, identifies and describes the variables, and states
the hypotheses (predictive statements) using the format
appropriate for the specific design and statistical analysis.
2
Alignment: The research questions are based on both the
Problem Statement and Theoretical Foundation model(s) or
theory(s). There should be no research questions that are not
clearly aligned to the Problem Statement.
2
format.
2
NOTE: This section elaborates on the information about
Research Questions) & Hypothesis/variables or Phenomena
from the 10 Strategic Points. This section becomes the
foundation for the Research Question(s) and/or Hypotheses
section in Chapter 1 in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:Advancing Scientific Knowledge and
Significance of the Study
The results of this research will add considerably to the results
of other studies as it provides means by which prevention and

intervention efforts will help to raise mental health awareness
and the importance of utilizing mental health services among
Americans as well as offer culturally sensitive services. The
result would direct efforts and focus at reducing stigma that is
associated with mental health problems in the minds of most
people (Morin & Cherry, 2019). In addition, the results will
help, and be of value to practitioners in determining the
necessary strategies to be used to allow more individuals to
receive the necessary health care services that they require. It
will also help in eliminating the individualized beliefs that ties
people from getting the public services they ought to and thus
help them be more responsive to the services which are
available to them.
Similarly, the result will enhance knowledge of social learning
theory through observation and modeling as they both play
significant and primary roles in this process, which moves far
and beyond Albert Bandura’s behavioral theory, which suggests
that all behaviors can or are learned through conditioning, and
cognitive theories. Bandura's social learning theory also
proposed that learning also exist or develop simply by
observing the actions of others (Morin & Cherry, 2019).
Therefore, a learning condition like this may be used in
explaining different behaviors, including those factors
influencing individuals' decision to either utilize or not utilize
mental health.
Criteria
(0-3)
Chair Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE and
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This section reiterates the gap or need in the literature and
states how the study will address the gap or need and how the

research will contribute to the literature, practical implications
to the community of interest, and alignment with the program of
study.
The recommended length for this section is one to two
paragraphs, providing a brief synopsis of each criteria listed
below which will be expanded in the proposal.
1. Clearly identifies the “gap” or “need” in the literature that
was used to define the problem statement and develop the
research questions. (citations required)
2
Describes how the study will address the “gap” or “identified
need” defined in the literature and contribute to /advance the
body of literature. (citations required)
2
Describes the potential practical applications from the research.
(citations required)
2
Identifies and connects the theory(ies) or model(s) that provide
the theoretical foundations or conceptual frameworks for the
study. (citations required)
2
format.
2

NOTE: This section builds on information about the Literature
review and Theoretical Foundations sections in the 10 Strategic
Points. This section becomes the foundation for the Theoretical
Foundations section in Chapter 2
Reviewer Comments:
Rationale for Methodology
The most appropriate methodology that will be used in
answering the research questions, and which will also address
the problem statement is a qualitative methodology (Colorafi, &
Evans, 2016). The qualitative approach is very effective when a
phenomenon that is being queried is properly and effectively
defined, and this study has distinctly defined the phenomena of
factors influencing the behavior and choices of people in a
natural environment to utilize or not utilize Mental Health. The
methodology is preferred as it is flexible when researching on
health science topic to support various medical theories. This
will support the research in finding and filling the gap in the
study. This methodology was adopted because it will help to
provide real life evidences from the interview with participants.
The literature has determined the causes of the low utilization
of mental health in the South to include limitations to accessing
health care. It also identified other barriers to specialty mental
health care utilization (Augsberger, Yeung, Dougher, & Hahm,
2015).
· Interviews and Questionnaires will be used to gather accurate
information
· Data will be obtained to determine the health seeking behavior
and mental health patients/services in the State
Criteria
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score

(0-3)
Rationale for Methodology
The Rationale for Methodology section clearly justifies the
methodology the researcher plans to use for conducting the
study. It argues how the methodological choice (quantitative or
qualitative) is the best approach to answer the research
questions and address the problem statement. Finally, it
contains citations from textbooks and articles on research
methodology and/or articles on related studies to provide
evidence to support the argument for the selected methodology.
1. Identifies the specific research methodology for the study.
2
Justifies the methodology to be used for the study by discussing
why it is an appropriate approach for answering the research
question(s) and addressing the problem statement.
Quantitative Studies: Justify in terms of problem statement and
the variables for which data will be collected.
Qualitative Studies: Justify in terms of problem statement and
phenomenon.
2
Uses citations from seminal (authoritative) sources (textbooks
and/or empirical research literature) to justify the selected
methodology. Note:Introductory or survey research textbooks
(such as Creswell) are not considered seminal sources.
2

format.
2
NOTE: This section elaborates on the Methodology and Design
in the 10 Strategic Points.This section becomes the foundation
for the Research Methodology in Chapter 1 of the Proposal and
the basis for developing Chapter 3, Research Methodology.
Reviewer Comments:
Nature of the Research Design for the Study
The design for this piece of research work will be a qualitative
descriptive study that will collect information from service
providers in the State, which is aimed at identifying the specific
issues that are deterring the utilization of mental healthcare
facilities in this South. Qualitative descriptive is the most
appropriate design selected because it helps to describe how
mental health providers and mental health professionals the
factors influencing individuals' decision to utilize mental health
services. (Kim et al., 2017) This method is also justified as it
applies the description of the factors in play and how they affect
the outcome. According to Kim, Sefcik, & Bradway (2017), a
qualitative-descriptive research is descriptive in nature and
helps in describing a natural phenomenon. This method is
suitable in research as it will provide a description of factors
limiting utilization of mental healthcare in the county.
Literature also supports the facts that issues of underutilized
mental health resources and non-institutionalized adults is a
behavioral risk factor in South (Hamilton, Desai, Hoot, Gearing,
Jeong, Meyer, & Begley, 2016).
After analysis of the population group, 12 Mental Health
Providers were determined to suffice as a sample group. The
respondents will be chosen among the mental health providers
with membership of Mental Health Association in South Texas,
which will include focus groups of service providers' that will
form the sample population. Study area for the research will be

caregivers, psychiatrists, and therapists’ offices, and counseling
facilities within the State. A structured system of interviews
with a minimum of 120 questionnaires and a minimum of 40
mental health providers, which will be used as the primary
source of data. The data will be collected in a period of three
weeks with each respondent given 30 minutes for the interview
and filing the questionnaire. Data will be collected for the study
using interviews and questionnaires. Notes will be taken;
interviews will be tape recorded and documented properly.
Mental health providers with membership in Mental Health
Associations will be the main participants in the study based on
5 years’ experience and the willingness to be interviewed.
Providers would be selected to complete questionnaire forms
that will include basic demographic questionnaire, which will
be used based on their experiences.
Consent form will be sent and obtained with signatures. The
selected participants will submit the consent forms and
complete the interview using Zoom. Data will be Collected
using a Google form. Mental health providers/participants
names will be removed from the data. Descriptive statistics will
be used in summarizing acquired data. Coding will be used to
address questions posed and the transcribed interviews and
coded data will also be stored on a backup USB thumb drive.
Data will remain stored on the researcher’s computer with
password encrypted.
Criterion Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
Nature of the Research Design for the Study
This section describes the specific research design to answer the
research questions and why this approach was selected. Here,
the learner discusses why the selected design is the best design

to address the problem statement and research questions as
compared to other designs. This section contains a description
of the research sample being studied, as well as, the process that
will be used to collect the data on the sample.
The recommended length for this section is two to three
paragraphs and must address each criterion.
1. Identifies and describes the selected design for the study.
2
Justifies why the selected design addresses the problem
statement and research questions.
Quantitative Studies: Justifies the selected design based on the
appropriateness of the design to address the research questions
and data for each variable.
Qualitative Studies: Justifies the selected design based on
appropriateness of design to address research questions and
study the phenomenon.
1
Briefly describes the target population and sample for the study.
2
Identifies the sources and instruments that will be used to
collect data needed to answer the research questions.
1
Briefly describes data collection procedures to collect data on
the sample.
2

format.
2
NOTE: This section also elaborates on the Design portion of the
Methodology and Design section in the 10 Strategic Points. This
section provides the foundation for Nature of the Research
Design for the Study in Chapter 1.
Reviewer Comments:
Sources of Data
The interview will utilize structured questionnaires developed
by the researcher to uncover the phenomena at hand in addition
to face-face interviews for the research that will be structured
with questions that require answers on the reasons that causes
people to utilize mental health services as well as the hesitation
in receiving treatment among the individuals who require
mental health treatment. The initial collection of data would
involve getting a list of mental health providers who are
members of Mental Health Organizations including:
· Mental Health America (MHA)
· National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
· National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)
· National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Providers would be selected to complete questionnaire forms
that include basic demographic questionnaire, which will be
based on their experiences. Tools will be used in collecting
primary data, while the selected group will be composed of
service providers. A tape-recorded analysis will also be used
within the focus groups. Furthermore, the research will take
note of the factors that providers think can improve the mental
health accessibility in the State.
Criterion Score

(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
RESEARCH MATERIALS, INSTRUMENTATION, OR
SOURCES OF DATA
This section identifies and describes the types of data that will
be collected, as well as the specific research materials,
instruments, and sources used to collect those data (tests,
surveys, validated instruments, questionnaires, interview
protocols, databases, media, etc.).
paragraphs. Note: this section can be set up as a bulleted list.
Quantitative- Instruments/Research Materials:
Provides a bulleted list of the instrumentation and/or materials
for data collection.
Describes the survey instruments or equipment/materials used
(experimental research) and specifies the type and level of data
collected with each instrument.
Includes citations from original publications by instrument
developers (and subsequent users as appropriate) or related
studies.
1
Qualitative - Sources of Data:
Describes the structure of each data collection instrument and
data sources (tests, questionnaires, interview protocols,
observations databases, media, etc.).
1

format.
1
NOTE: This section elaborates on the Data Collection from the
10 Strategic Points.
This information is summarized high level in Chapter 1 in the
Proposal in the Nature of the Research Design for the Study
section. This section provides the foundation for Research
Materials,Instrumentation (quantitative) or Sources of Data
(qualitative) section in Chapter 3.
Reviewer Comments:Data Collection
Data collection process will be as follows:
· The process will begin by writing a letter to the dean to get
permission.
· After the IRB committee gives its approval for the project to
begin, participants will be selected. The study sample is set to
include caregivers, service providers, psychiatrists, therapists,
school counselors and members of the community.
· Data collection will only start after candidates must have
acknowledged and signed the consent form. Furthermore, the
dissertation will collect information from a selected group of
providers to provide primary data.
· We will communicate with the sample group and allocate
everyone specified time that they are free and then will follow
up to ensure that all the sample members are included.
Moreover, the researcher will ensure that the providers who are
to receive questionnaires are directly contacted to make sure
that they receive and fill out the questionnaire then send them
back.
· It will be collected systematically in a way that begins with
interviewing the service providers. The process will be as
follows:
· Respondents will be 12 mental health providers given
questionnaires to fill.
· Interviews will involve the 12 respondents from within the

State.
· Respondents will respond to both interviews and the
questionnaires.
· Manual coding will be done to all collected data.
· Data will be checked for any errors by both parties before
further processing.
· Data will be entered into SciLab for analysis.
Criteria
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
DATA COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT
This section details the data collection process and procedures
so that another researcher could conduct or replicate the study.
It includes authorizations and detailed steps.
The recommended length for this section is a bullet or numbered
list of data collection steps that should not exceed one page.
Quantitative Studies: Lists steps for the actual data collection
that would allow replication of the study by another researcher,
including how each instrument or data source was used, how
and where data were collected, and recorded. Includes a linear
sequence of actions or step-by-step of procedures used to carry
out all the major steps for data collection. Includes a workflow
and corresponding timeline, presenting a logical, sequential,
and transparent protocol for data collection that would allow
another researcher to replicate the study.
Data from different sources may have to be collected in parallel
(e.g., paper-and-pen surveys for teachers, corresponding
students, and their parents AND retrieval of archival data from
the school district). A flow chart is ok—"linear" may not apply
to all situations
Qualitative Studies: Provides detailed description of data
collection process, including all sources of data and methods

used, such as interviews, member checking, observations,
surveys, field tests, and expert panel review. Note: The
collected data must be sufficient in breadth and depth to answer
the research question(s) and interpreted and presented correctly,
by theme, research question, and/or source of data.
2
Describes the procedures for obtaining participant informed
consent and for protecting the rights and well-being of the study
sample participants.
2
format.
2
NOTE:This section elaborates on the Sample and Location and
Data Collection in the 10 Strategic Points. This section provides
the foundation for the Data Collection Procedures section in
Chapter 3 in the Proposal. And it is summarized high level in
Chapter 1 in Nature of the Research Design for the Study in the
Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Data Analysis Procedures
Data analysis will be conducted using descriptive statistics,
followed by its transcription from the tape recorder, then
analysis will be performed based on interviews and focus
groups. Data collected will first be manually coded in relation
to the themes of the study. The coded themes will then be

analyzed, and explanations given. The overall aim of the
analysis will be to find factors influencing individuals' decision
to not utilize Mental Health in one Southern State County. At
the initial starting stage, individual interviews will be
conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim. This will be
followed by the researcher repeatedly reading and listening to
the content in order to get familiarized with it. As such, the
researcher will be able to gain deeper and better familiarization
with the contents; he or she will also identify the answers to
those questions asked as well as identify the themes. The
researcher will use the two theories selected to see if the themes
from the interviews align with the theoretical framework.
· Data will be collected and analyzed for the study.
· Descriptive statistics will be used in summarizing acquired
data.
· Coding will be used to address the questions posed.
· A narrative summary will be developed.
Descriptive Statistics
· demographic information
· years of experience
Thematic Analysis
The researcher may choose to adopt the process notes and
MAXDQA in organizing and visualizing data. According to
Braun and Clarke (2006), the following six-step thematic
analysis process is effective in identifying the relevant patterns
in data.
· Stage 1: Get familiarized with the data: the researcher is
expected to already get familiarized with the contents of the
research and have a better understanding of it. This is because
the researcher is the individual that will collect the data.
· Stage 2: Generate first codes regarding the significant ideas
discovered in the data. Identifications of data and combining
pertinent data relating to each code
· Stage 3: This stage allows the researcher to start the search for
themes through analysis and a review of the codes and to
understand those that can be developed into acceptable themes.

· Stage 4: Reviewing and refining the themes and determining if
there is any of them that needs to be removed, combined, or if
they can be broken down into additional themes.
· Stage 5: Define and name the themes after refining them.
· Phase 6: Generate the final report by the researcher.
Once the researcher is familiar with the data by reading through
the data and looking for patterns, he will develop a detailed
description of the phenomenon from the synthesis of the data
Criteria
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURES
This section provides detailed steps for the analytic procedures
to be used to conduct data analysis.
paragraphs, can also be presented in bulleted format.
Describes in detail the relevant data collected for each stated
research question and/or each variable within each hypothesis
(if applicable).
Quantitative Studies: "In detail" means scales (and subscales) of
specified instruments AND type of data for each variable of
interest. IMPORTANT: For (quasi) experimental studies,
provide detailed description of all treatment materials per
treatment condition, as part of the description of the
independent variable corresponding to the experimental
manipulation.
2
What: Describes, in detail, statistical and non-statistical
analysis to be used and procedures used to conduct the data

analysis.
Quantitative Studies: (1) describe data file preparation
(descriptive statistics used to check completeness and accuracy;
for files from different sources, possibly aggregating data to
obtain a common unit of analysis in all files, necessarily
merging files (using the key variable defining the unit of
analysis); (2) computation of statistics for the sample profile;
(3) computation of (subscales and) scales; (4) reliability
analysis for all scales and subscales; (5) computation of
descriptive statistics for all variables of interest in the study
(except those already presented in the sample profile); (6) state
and justify all statistical procedures ("tests") needed to generate
the information to answer all research questions; and (7) state
assumptions checks for all those statistical procedures
(including the tests and / or charts to be computed).
Qualitative Studies: This section begins by identifying and
discussing the specific analysis approach or strategy, followed
by a discussion of coding procedures to be used. Note: coding
procedures may be different for Thematic Analysis, Narrative
Analysis, Phenomenological Analysis, or Grounded Theory
Analysis.
2
Why: Provides the justification for each of the (statistical and
non-statistical) data analysis procedures used in the study.
2
Show Steps that Support Evidence
Quantitative Analysis - states the level of statistical
significance for each test as appropriate and describes tests of
assumptions for each statistical test.
Qualitative Analysis - evidence of qualitative analysis
approach, such as coding and theming process, must be

completely described and included the analysis /interpretation
process. Clear evidence from how codes moved to themes must
be presented.
2
format.
2
NOTE: This section elaborates on the Data Analysis from the 10
Strategic Points.This section provides the foundation for Data
Analysis Procedures section in Chapter 3 in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Ethical Considerations
Before the commencement of the study, I will seek
authorization form all the relevant bodies including the IRB for
approval. The research will also seek authority from the
University board for conducting the research. All the data
collected will be purely used for research purposes and remain
confidential. The data will remain free to withdrawal by
respondents from the study. No personal name or organizational
names which may bring conflict of interest in the research will
be included. The research will remain in the custody of the
University will all rights reserved. Additionally, only relevant
data will be collected by the researcher, solely for the study. He
or she must stay clear of any subjectivity in analyzing the data
and must also be proactive at preventing anything that will be
harmful to the participants.

Criteria
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
Ethical Considerations
This section discusses the potential ethical issues surrounding
the research, as well as how human subjects and data will be
protected. It identifies how any potential ethical issues will be
addressed.
1. Describes site authorization process, subject recruiting, and
informed consent processes.
2
2. Describes how the identities of the participants in the study
and data will be protected.
2
3. Discusses potential ethical concerns that might occur during
the data collection process.
2
4. ALIGNMENT: Ethical considerations are clearly aligned with
and relate directly to the specific Data Collection Procedures.
This section also identifies ethical considerations related to the
target population being researched and organization or location
as described in the Purpose Statement section.
2

format.
2
NOTE: This section does not include information from any of
the 10 Strategic Points.
This section provides the foundation for Ethical Considerations
section in Chapter 3 in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
References
Augsberger, A., Yeung, A., Dougher, M., & Hahm, H. C.
(2015). Factors influencing the underutilization of mental health
services among Asian American women with a history of
depression and suicide. BMC health services research, 15(1),
542.
https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s1
2913-015-1191-7
Blosnich, J. R., Marsiglio, M. C., Gao, S., Gordon, A. J.,
Shipherd, J. C., Kauth, M., ... & Fine, M. J. (2016). Mental
health of transgender veterans in US states with and without
discrimination and hate crime legal protection. American
journal of public health, 106(3), 534-540.
https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2015.3
02981
Bowdoin, J. J., Rodriguez-Monguio, R., Puleo, E., Keller, D., &

Roche, J. (2018). The patient-centered medical home model:
Healthcare services utilization and cost for non-elderly adults
with mental illness. Oxfordshire,: Routledge.
doi:10.1080/09638237.2017.1385744
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018). Mental
health: Data and Publications. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/data_publications/index.htm
Children at Risk (2013), Fort Bend County Assessment, A
Report on the Needs of the Community’s Children, The
George Foundation and The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce,
pp. 23.
Children at Risk: The Future of Fort-Bend’s Children 2012-
2014. Retrieved from
http://www.thegeorgefoundation.org/media/resources/future-of-
fort-bends-children-report-2014.pdf
Colorafi, K. J., & Evans, B. (2016). Qualitative descriptive
methods in health science research. HERD: Health
Environments Research & Design Journal, 9(4), 16-25.
De Luca, S. M., Blosnich, J. R., Hentschel, E. A., King, E., &
Amen, S. (2016). Mental health care utilization: How race,
ethnicity and veteran status are associated with seeking
help. Community mental health journal, 52(2), 174-179.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10597-015-9964-3
Eslami, A. A., Norozi, E., Hajihosseini, M., Ramazani, A. A., &
Miri, M. R. (2018). Social cognitive theory as a theoretical
framework to predict sustained abstinence 6 months after
substance use treatment. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Taylor &
Francis Ltd. doi:10.1080/14659891.2017.1394382
Grayson, H. C. (2016). Caregiver impact on the relationship
between need and utilization for child and adolescent mental
health: An examination of factors influencing utilization of
mental health services Available from ProQuest Central
Student. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/1840134079
Hamilton, J. E., Desai, P. V., Hoot, N. R., Gearing, R. E.,
Jeong, S., Meyer, T. D., ... & Begley, C. E. (2016). Factors

associated with the likelihood of hospitalization following
emergency department visits for behavioral health
conditions. Academic Emergency Medicine, 23(11), 1257-1266.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acem.13044
Kim et al. (2017): Staying focused on non-treatment seekers)
Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6552680/
Kohn, R., Ali, A. A., Puac-Polanco, V., Figueroa, C., López-
Soto, V., Morgan, K., . . . Vicente, B. (2018). Mental health in
the Americas: An overview of the treatment gap. Revista
Panamericana De Salud Publica = Pan American Journal of
Public Health, 42, e165. doi:10.26633/RPSP.2018.165
Lund, C., Brooke-Sumner, C., Baingana, F., Baron, E. C.,
Breuer, E., Chandra, P., . . . Saxena, S. (2018). Social
determinants of mental disorders and the sustainable
development goals: A systematic review of reviews. The Lancet
Psychiatry, 5(4), 357-369. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30060-9
Mental Health America (2020). The U.S. Mental Health History.
Retrieved from https://www.mhanational.org/our-history
Morin, A. & Cherry, K. (2019). How Social Learning Theory
Works. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/social-
learning-theory-2795074
Schwartz, A. (2017). A report on the demographic changes and
changing needs of fort bend county University
Wang, N., & Xie, X. (2019). Associations of health insurance
coverage, mental health problems, and drug use with mental
health service use in US adults: An analysis of 2013 national
survey on drug use and health. Oxfordshire, : Routledge.
doi:10.1080/13607863.2018.1441262
Appendix A
10 Strategic Points

My Degree: Ph.D.
Program Emphasis: Industrial & Organizational Psychology
Ten Strategic Points
Comments or Feedback
Broad Topic Area Final Topic
Factors Affecting Utilization of Mental Health in Southern
Texas
Factors Influencing Individuals' Decision to Utilize Mental
Health in South Texas
Lit Review
(Theoretical Framework (Theory)
Gaps
Themes
All Citations
Gaps
A. De Luca, Blosnich, Hentschel, King, & Amen (2016). The
authors indicate that mental health has emerged as one of the
critical areas of focus in recent times, and for a long time, it
had been sidelined. However, with the realization that most
health conditions are related in one way or another to a mental
disorder, this area is now been studied extensively, and more
attention has been given to patients.
B. Mental health professionals point to insufficient mental
healthcare resources in the United States as one of the major
factors contributing to the rising suicide rate in the country.
Nevertheless, these professionals noted that emergency
providers paly major role at forefront of the problem and may

also play significant role in its prevention. The experts
reiterated the necessity for providers to possess the skills
required for managing patients at lower suicide risk levels,
especially in settings in which such patients do not enough
access to behavioral healthcare providers and that the providers
need to be accustomed to suicide risk, especially when there are
widely publicized high-profile instances of suicide.
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.co
m/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=131266532&site=eds-
live&scope=site.
C. According to Kohn, et. al, (2018), emphasize the gap in
mental health treatment in the American Region when examined
through the prevalence of mental health disorders, use of mental
health services, and the global burden of disease. Statistical
data from community-based surveys of mental disorders in the
various countries in America including Argentina, Brazil,
Canada, Chile, and the United States etc. were utilized. The
World Mental Health Survey published data were used in
estimating professional the treatment gap. For Canada, Chile,
and Guatemala, the treatment gap was calculated from data
files. The mean, median, and weighted treatment gap, and the
12-month prevalence by severity and category of mental
disorder were estimated for the general adult, child-adolescent,
and indigenous populations. Disability-adjusted Life Years and
Years Lived with Disability were calculated from the Global
Burden of Disease study. Mental and substance use disorders
accounted for 10.5% of the global burden of disease in the
Americas (Kohn, Ali, Puac-Polanco, Figueroa, López-Soto,
Morgan, & Vicente, 2018).
D. Wang, & Xie, (2019) Emphasizes the need to eliminate the
prevalence of mental health service utilization among many
adults in the United States. The authors examined the links
between mental health service utilization, health insurance
coverage, mental health problems and drug abuse, and the

health disparities among communities. In 2013. the authors in
conjunction with the National Survey on Drug Use and Health
performed a research with 37,424 adults’ respondents, with the
outcome that only 5,434 adults were receiving mental health
services. The outcome of the research indicated statistics of
overall prevalence of mental health services utilization to be
around 15%, with the female and the aging population
experiencing major depressive episodes, serious psychological
distress, and illicit drug or alcohol abuse/dependence were
positively associated with mental health service use. Insured
African Americans, Asians and Hispanics, and married were
negatively associated with mental health service utilization.
Adults with varying types of insurances having disparities in
accessing mental health services. (Wang, & Xie, 2019).
Theoretical Foundation
The theoretical framework for this research study is the Albert
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, which examines the context
of health promotion and disease prevention. It helps to describe
how motivations in health and behaviors are influenced by the
interaction of people’s beliefs, environment, and behaviors
(Morin, 2019).
Literature Review
A. Empathic Approach: Emphasized the issues of utilized and
underutilized mental health resources and non-institutionalized
adults as behavioral risk factors in Southern Texas. Mental
health professionals point to insufficient mental healthcare
resources in the United States as one of the major factors
contributing to the rising suicide rate in the country.
Nevertheless, these professionals noted that emergency
providers play major roles at the forefront of the problem and
may also play significant roles in its prevention. The experts
reiterated the necessity for providers to possess the skills
required for managing patients at lower suicide risk levels,
especially in settings in which such patients do not enough

access to behavioral healthcare providers and that the providers
need to be accustomed to suicide risk, especially when there are
widely publicized high-profile instances of suicide.
(Morrisville, North Carolina: AHC Media LLC, 2018).
Professional Development:
Job Satisfaction: Mental health has recently emerged as a
critical area of interest as it had been sidelined for years. Due to
this realization, the illness is now been studied extensively, and
more attention has been given to patients. It has been suggested
that most of the chronic conditions and terminal illnesses lead
to mental disorders in patients. For many reasons, mental health
is now among the priorities of medical practice (De Luca et.al.
2016).
Problem Statement
It is not known how mental health providers describe the factors
influencing individuals' decision to utilize mental health
services
Research Questions
RQ1: How do mental health providers describe the influence of
self-efficacy on individuals’ decision to utilize mental health
services?
behavioral capacity on individuals’ decision to utilize mental
health services?
expectations on individuals’ decision to utilize mental health
services?
Population
Target Population
Sample

· Location – Southern, Texas. USA
· Target Population:
· Mental Health providers with membership of Mental Health
Association in South Texas
· Behavioral Hospitals
· Psychiatrists
· Therapists
Sample:
· The sample will be in South Texas of the United States
· Out of a population of 12 Mental Health Providers
· Questionnaire: Minimum of 120
· Interviews: Minimum of 40 Mental Health providers
.
Describe Phenomena (qualitative) or Define
Variables/Hypotheses (quantitative)
To understand why the people living in Southern Texas are not
effectively utilizing mental health services
· There is a high rate of mental health conditions in Southern
Texas
· Individuals living in South Texas utilizes very low budget
allocation on funding of mental health care
· Cost is a factor impacting the population’s utilization of
mental health services
Methodology & Design
Qualitative Descriptive Study
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to examine
how mental health providers describe the factors influencing
individuals' decision to utilize mental health services in South
Texas
Data Collection Approach
Mental health providers with membership in Mental Health

Associations will be the main participants in the study based on
5 years’ experience and the willingness to be interviewed
· Visits to mental health providers
· Informed & signed consent will be obtained from participants
· Interview with mental health providers recorded on tape
· Sampling Method: Purposeful Sampling
· Sources: Interviews & Questionnaires: Notes will be taken;
interviews will be tape recorded and documented properly
· Data will be Collected using a Google form
· Mental health providers/participants names will be removed
from the data
· Data will remain stored on the researcher’s computer with
password encrypted.
Data Analysis Approach
Descriptive Statistics
demographic information
years of experience
According to Braun and Clarke (2006), the following
procedures are recommended for thematic analysis:
· Ensure that researcher is familiar with the data by reading
through the data and looking for patterns
· Followed by the researcher beginning coding through
identifications of the data and combining pertinent data that
relates to each code
· Data will be collected and analyzed for the study.
· Descriptive statistics will be used in summarizing acquired
data.
· Coding will be used to address questions asked and the
transcribed interviews and coded data will be stored on a
backup USB thumb drive
· A narrative summary will be developed.
Appendix C
Demographics of the participants

Sample Population
12 Mental Health Providers in United States
Questionnaire
Minimum of 120
Interviews
Minimum of 40 Mental Health providers in the South

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