Suicidal Ideation among Adolescents as Topic of Research Interest Scientific research is supported logically and empirically (Babbie, 2017) by either an objective or subjective paradigm. Within the framework of the objective paradigm, the researcher who is removed from the subjects views the reality as any material object (Laureate education, 2016a). As far as my topic of interest as concerned, the researcher involves in predicting suicidal ideation among adolescents and takes control over this process. In such a case, theory can be built on survey design and random sampling interventions with a view to exploring how the world works that makes suicidal thought and attempts possible as early as the onset of adolescence. My area of interest – suicidal ideation among adolescents – involves the relationship between personality traits, culture, family structure, peer friendship, education as causes of suicidal ideation in two distinct groups, early adolescents and middle adolescents. My area of expertise will be in a mixed quantitative and qualitative research, for I am interested in finding the answer to the question why adolescents in the current technology advanced and deeply divided world are at risk of suicidal ideation. Epistemological Assumptions of Philosophical Orientations Epistemology is deals with scientific knowing achieved by scientific inquiry (Babbie, 2017). As knowledge is accumulative by nature, it is grounded in the known on which new knowledge is built. Each field of knowledge develops seminal research that presents the conceptual framework that is shared by all researchers in this field as fundamental and basic. The replication of fundamental theoretical backgrounds in another context or situation is the task of a researcher who supports the authority in the selected field. Epistemologically, positivism and interpretivism are objectivist philosophical assumptions, whereas social constructivism and realism are subjectivist ones. Scientific knowing has developed two main research designs, quantitative and qualitative. The former tests theory and hypothesis, determines relationship between variables, uses statistics, and shows testing. The latter creates research approach, asks what/who/when/where/why questions, utilizes non-numerical data, and develops conceptual framework. Most popular quantitative designs include correlation, quasi-experimental, experimental, factor analysis, and ex post facto ones. Qualitative designs include phenomenology, narrative, grounded theory, ethnography, and straight qualitative ones (Barbie, 2017). However, blended designs can be effectively used as well (Laureate education, 2016a), marked by the qualitative or quantitative dominant or interacting without triangulation. Epistemologically, the researcher possesses sources of knowing and is capable of acknowledging and controlling biases (Laureate education, 2016a). Ontological Assumptions of Philosophical Orientations Scientific theory is a co ...

1. Suicidal Ideation among Adolescents as Topic of Research
Interest
Scientific research is supported logically and empirically
(Babbie, 2017) by either an objective or subjective paradigm.
Within the framework of the objective paradigm, the researcher
who is removed from the subjects views the reality as any
material object (Laureate education, 2016a). As far as my topic
of interest as concerned, the researcher involves in predicting
suicidal ideation among adolescents and takes control over this
process. In such a case, theory can be built on survey design
and random sampling interventions with a view to exploring
how the world works that makes suicidal thought and attempts
possible as early as the onset of adolescence. My area of
interest – suicidal ideation among adolescents – involves the
relationship between personality traits, culture, family
structure, peer friendship, education as causes of suicidal
ideation in two distinct groups, early adolescents and middle
adolescents. My area of expertise will be in a mixed
quantitative and qualitative research, for I am interested in
finding the answer to the question why adolescents in the
current technology advanced and deeply divided world are at
risk of suicidal ideation.
Epistemological Assumptions of Philosophical Orientations
Epistemology is deals with scientific knowing achieved by
scientific inquiry (Babbie, 2017). As knowledge is accumulative
by nature, it is grounded in the known on which new knowledge
is built. Each field of knowledge develops seminal research that
presents the conceptual framework that is shared by all
researchers in this field as fundamental and basic. The
replication of fundamental theoretical backgrounds in another

2. context or situation is the task of a researcher who supports the
authority in the selected field. Epistemologically, positivism
and interpretivism are objectivist philosophical assumptions,
whereas social constructivism and realism are subjectivist ones.
Scientific knowing has developed two main research designs,
quantitative and qualitative. The former tests theory and
hypothesis, determines relationship between variables, uses
statistics, and shows testing. The latter creates research
approach, asks what/who/when/where/why questions, utilizes
non-numerical data, and develops conceptual framework. Most
popular quantitative designs include correlation, quasi-
experimental, experimental, factor analysis, and ex post facto
ones. Qualitative designs include phenomenology, narrative,
grounded theory, ethnography, and straight qualitative ones
(Barbie, 2017). However, blended designs can be effectively
used as well (Laureate education, 2016a), marked by the
qualitative or quantitative dominant or interacting without
triangulation. Epistemologically, the researcher possesses
sources of knowing and is capable of acknowledging and
controlling biases (Laureate education, 2016a).
Ontological Assumptions of Philosophical Orientations
Scientific theory is a construct that generalizes patterns in a
systemic way. This can be achieved by using induction and
deduction. Induction moves from specifics to generalization,
whereas deduction moves from generalization to specifics
(Babbie, 2017). Ontologically, human psychology is different
from the rest of the world, so the scholar is engaged in
exploring the nature of this psychological reality in human
beings (Laureate education, 2016a). From an ontological stance,
positivism is marked by direct realist, interpretivism and social
constructionism– by idealist, social constructivist – idealist, and
realism – depth realist philosophical assumptions.

3. With regard to my research, positivism responds to my
worldview, for it establishes causal explanations by means of
controlled measurement and deductive theory testing. The use
of quantitative methods is typical of positivist research.
Positivism restricts the studied reality to what can be observed.
Relationship between Epistemological and Ontological
Assumptions and
Research Approaches
Scientific research studies the causal relationship between
attributes (values) and variables (logical sets of variables)
(Barbie, 2017). For example, suicidal ideation is a dependent
variable that depends on a variety of independent variables such
as sex, education, family structure, family history, and others.
In terms of causality, the dependent variable is the result of the
independent variable.
In blended research, the researcher utilizes not only measurable
relationships between dependent and independent variables but
also can examine lived experience of the studied phenomena.
The “why” component of the dominant quantitative research
helps identify the perspective, a new angle pf perception that
otherwise cannot be predicted. Today’s research on suicidal
ideation among adolescents mainly uses quantitative research.
Cross-sectional designs are often utilized, although the
researchers repeatedly acknowledge their limits.
The advantages of an integrated approach are many
(Burkholder, Cox, & Crawford, 2016). First, such an approach
helps combine indictive and deductive methods in a holistic
way, avoiding concentrating either on specifics or the general.
Second, the use of either quantitative or qualitative dominant
facilitates to overcome the limits of purely quantitative or
qualitative research, as well as effectively combine the

4. objective and subjective paradigm in the study of one and the
same problem area. The possibilities of explaining the
emergence of suicidal ideation among adolescents as a global
and contextually bound trend enhance when integrative
approaches are applied.
References
Babbie, E. (2017). Basics of social research (7th ed.). Boston,
MA: Cengage Learning.
Burkholder, G. J., Cox, K. A., Crawford, L. M. (2016). The
scholar-practitioner’s guide to research design. Baltimore, MD:
Laureate Publishing.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2016a). Introduction to
research design [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.