Improving Mental Health Outcomes in Rural Adolescents Through School-Based Virtual Counseling: A Systematic Review

Assignment Draft 1: Literature Review and Methodology

This assignment covers the beginning sections of your paper, including the background, identification of gaps, research problem, and objectives of the review. These elements help set the context for the rest of the paper and provide a strong foundation for your argument.

1. Introduction (Background and Context)
   1. Overview of the Topic/Problem Statement
      1. Definition: Begin by defining the key terms or concepts related to the topic of your review. For example, if the review is on “post-traumatic stress interventions,” briefly define what constitutes “post-traumatic stress” is.
      2. Context: Provide background on the broader context of issue being reviewed. Why is this topic important in the current research landscape? What has led to increased attention on this topic in recent years (e.g., societal shifts, policy changes, emerging needs)?
      3. These questions can guide you in this section
         1. How many people are affected by this problem?
         2. Why is this an important social problem?
         3. How does this social problem impact other social issues or focal populations?
         4. Why is your population an important one to study?
   2. Significance of the Topic
      1. Relevance: Explain why the topic is significant and relevant to the social work field. How does it impact practice, policy, or research? Why should researchers and practitioners care about this topic? Provide statistics or recent trends.
      2. Scope: Outline the scope of the literature review. Is it focused on a specific population, intervention, or geographical area? Defining the scope helps frame the subsequent search strategy and limits the literature pool.
         1. Describe the important concepts and research findings for related to your PICO question.
         2. Describe the important concepts and research findings related to the population and issue
         3. What other variables or social forces influence on the population and issue?
         4. Describe what is known about your target population
   3. Current State of Research
      1. Historical Background: Provide a brief history or development of the intervention. How has the research evolved over time?
      2. Current Findings: Summarize the major findings in the field related to your topic, making sure to touch on the most significant and recent contributions. This establishes the foundation for identifying gaps in knowledge.
         1. Identify consistent findings across studies on the various interventions addressing this issue- if there are multiple interventions- describe these various interventions (setting the stage for the next section)
2. Identification of Research Gaps
   1. Unresolved Questions or Issues
      1. Identify areas in the literature where there are unanswered questions or issues that remain unresolved. For example, if a large body of literature exists on the effectiveness of a specific intervention, highlight areas that remain uncertain (e.g., “while numerous studies have examined the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for treating depression, few have considered its long-term impacts” or “while numerous studies have examined the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for treating depression, there barriers to in-person therapy for those living in rural areas, leaving a gap in understanding what online CBT therapies are effective in treating depression).
   2. Contradictory Findings or Inconsistencies
      1. Discuss inconsistencies or contradictions in the research findings. Are there studies that show conflicting results? Highlight areas where studies disagree or where evidence appears mixed.
      2. Example: “While several studies report that aromatherapy interventions improve mental health outcomes, other studies suggest that they have minimal impact, especially for XYZ populations.”
   3. Methodological Issues
      1. Identify methodological limitations within existing research. Are studies in the field suffering from small sample sizes, biased sampling, or poor generalizability? Discuss any common weaknesses in the research methodologies used (e.g., lack of randomized controlled trials, low-quality surveys, etc.).
   4. Understudied Areas
      1. Point out any underexplored or neglected areas within the topic. Are certain populations, contexts, or interventions consistently left out of studies? Highlight gaps that might present an opportunity for further research.
      2. Example: “Although much of the research has focused on urban populations, rural communities remain underrepresented in studies on YOUR SPECIFIC mental health interventions.”
   5. Calls for Future Research
      1. Briefly reference any calls in the existing literature for further investigation. Are experts in the field suggesting specific research questions or topics that need to be explored?
3. Research Problem or Question
   1. Clear Statement of the Problem
      1. Based on the gaps identified, define the research problem that your review aims to address. What specific issue does the review attempt to tackle? How does your systematic review seek to contribute to filling the identified gaps?
      2. Example: “The lack of consensus on the long-term effectiveness of aromatherapy on mental health, particularly among youth populations, presents a significant research gap.”
   2. Importance of Addressing the Problem
      1. Justify why it is important to address this research problem. What will be gained by synthesizing the existing literature and identifying areas for future research?
      2. Example: “Understanding the long-term impacts of these interventions is critical for improving service delivery and optimizing outcomes for vulnerable populations.”
   3. State your PICO question
4. Methodology
   1. Inclusion Criteria
      1. Define the characteristics of the studies that are included in the review based on the research question.
   2. Exclusion Criteria
      1. Define the studies that are excluded from your review
   3. Search Strategy
      1. What databases and Boolean operations were utilized in your search
   4. Screening/Selection process
      1. Initial number of articles found, number of articles excluded at title, abstract, and full text review, respectively.

Summary of Key Sections:

1. Introduction – Background, significance, and current state of research.
2. Identification of Research Gaps – Unresolved questions, contradictions, methodological weaknesses, and neglected areas.
3. Research Problem – Clear problem statement and justification for addressing the issue, state your PICO question
4. Methodology-Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria, search strategy, and screening/selection process