Please note this is a qualitative study with a generic approach.

Research question: What are the perceived challenges/barriers experienced by African American parents who have a child with Autism and living in a rural area in accessing and maintaining mental health services for their child?

Introduction: at least two paragraphs

Problem Statement

Provide a one- to two-paragraph statement that is the result of a review of research findings and current practice and that contains the following information:

1. A logical argument for the need to address an identified gap in the research literature that has current relevance to the discipline and area of practice. Keep in mind that a gap in the research is not, in and of itself, a reason to conduct research. Make sure to clarify the
problem that led you to the gap.

2. Preliminary evidence that provides justification that this problem is meaningful to the discipline or professional field. Provide three to five key citations that support the relevance and currency of the problem. These references need not all be from peer reviewed journals but should be from reputable sources, such as national agency databases or scholarly books, and should ideally be from the past 5 years.

Purpose

Present a concise, one-paragraph statement on the overall purpose or intention of the study, which serves as the connection between the problem being addressed and the focus of the study. (I'm using a qualitative approach with a generic method.) For other approaches, clarify why an alternative approach is needed and useful for this project.

Significance :Provide one or two paragraphs, informed by the topic in the problem statement, that describe the following:

1. How this study will contribute to filling the gap identified in the problem statement: What original contribution will this study make?

2. How this research will support professional practice or allow practical application: Answer the So what? question.

3. How the claim aligns with the problem statement to reflect the potential relevance of this study to society: How might the potential findings lead to positive social change?

Background

Provide a representative list of scholarship and findings that support and clarify the main assertions in the problem statement, highlighting their relationship to the topic, for example, "this variable was studied with a similar sample by Smith (2013) and Johnson (2014)" or "Jones's (2012) examination of industry leaders showed similar trends in the same key segments." Some of these resources may have already been mentioned in the first sections of the prospectus and can be included here, also.