PSY 224: Genetic Testing Proposal for Schizophrenia Prediction Study

This project proposes a quantitative archival study to investigate the potential of genetic testing in predicting schizophrenia and cognitive disabilities in children. The proposal outlines a study involving 1200 mothers with children affected by schizophrenia or cognitive deficits, focusing on identifying genetic markers and neurological indicators. Data collection will involve medical records, neuroimaging, and genetic testing to determine correlations between genetic factors, family history, and the onset of the disorder. Ethical considerations, including participant confidentiality and data security, are addressed. The expected outcome is to establish a relationship between genetic testing results and concordance rates for schizophrenia, supporting the hypothesis that genetic testing can predict children with disabilities. The proposal also suggests future research directions, including exploring factors influencing early-onset schizophrenia and the efficacy of cognitive remediation practices.

Running head: PROPOSAL
Milestone Three
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1PROPOSAL
Introduction:
Topic-
Genetic testing or DNA testing refers to the procedure that encompasses the
determination of genetic diagnosis and bloodline, in relation to inherited disease
vulnerabilities. Schizophrenia is a complex disease that frequently appears in late life.
Although researchers have not outlined the genetic reasons, greater than 80% schizophrenia
onset are regarded to have a genetic cause (Ripke et al., 2014). The estimates usually vary
due to the problems that are faced in separating the environmental and genetic influences.
Research evidences have further shown that presence of a first-degree relative with the
condition is a major risk factor, besides monozygotic twins. This assignment will focus on
suggesting a proposal for schizophrenia genetic testing.
Summary of articles-
The inherited architecture of schizophrenia is compound and varied. Furthermore, it
involves a range of rare and common allelic variants. Childhood onset schizophrenia (COS)
is defined as rare AOS variant with superior familial aggregation of the disorder (Asarnow &
Forsyth, 2013). This establishes the need of utilizing genetic testing for diagnosis of the
condition. The article also elaborated on the prenatal complications that are found among
mothers diagnosed with schizophrenia, besides an upsurge in the risks of bearing children
having the same mental disorder. Another study that aimed to determine the extent of
correlation between cognition and schizophrenia suggested that community functioning and
cognition were positively correlated among schizophrenia patients and the genetic effects that
they shared. Thus, identification of genetic variants was considered useful for recognizing
individual differences (Kuo et al., 2018).

2PROPOSAL
Research hypothesis-
Genetic testing on persons with schizophrenia and cognitive incapacities allow
genetic psychologists to precisely predict whether a kid is going to have comparable
disabilities. The hypothesis has been derived following a thorough study of literature that
established the need to conduct further genetic testing, with the aim of assessing the
truthfulness behind its accuracy, as stated by doctors. There is mounting evidence for the fact
that schizophrenia is an extremely heritable disorder. The literature review conducted in the
preceding module helped in gaining an understanding on the correlation between cognition
and schizophrenia. The hypothesis was formulated following the identification of the need for
conducting an appropriate genetic testing in order to assess the accuracy of the truthfulness of
the procedure, as claimed by doctors.
Methods:
Methodology-
The research will be based on a quantitative archival design. Quantitative research
basically comprises of design of a project which practices quantitative research methods. The
primary feature of this research design is that quantitative research designs aim at
determining how many people act, think, or feel in a precise way. Quantitative projects
comprise of great sample sizes, focused on the amount of responses, as opposite to attainment
of an emotional insight that is the purpose of qualitative researches (Creswell & Creswell,
2017). Hence, the proposal is grounded on quantitative design owing to the fact that it will
allow for a broader study and will create provisions for greater accuracy and objectivity of
the results. The research will also be able to summarize the data collected from genetic
testing that will help in supporting the generalized hypothesis about the phenomenon
(schizophrenia) that is currently being investigated.

3PROPOSAL
Data collection-
1. Sampling frame- This refers to the device or the source material from which sample
for a research will be drawn. The research proposal intends to enlist an estimated 1200
mothers who have children with schizophrenia or cognitive deficits. They will also be
selected based on the presence of close relatives from North America. When it comes
to quantitative studies, the sampling frame forms a major consideration in quantitative
research. Recruitment of 1200 mothers will allow better determination of the average
data values for the genetic testing and will also avoid presence of any errors during
the testing (Button et al., 2013).
2. Instrument- Medical records and neuroimaging will be used for determining the
relation between genetic factors and other variables such as, onset of child, family
history, complication associated with pregnancy, and mental health status. Genetic
testing will facilitate the changes that are present in the chromosome and/or genes
related to schizophrenia. Neuroimaging techniques will also be used since they
comprise of techniques that produce an image of the function, structure, and
pharmacology of the nervous system in a direct or indirect manner. Determination of
the occurrence and genetic relevance of schizophrenia will require close relatives of
the recruited mothers. Women aged beyond 50 years will not be enlisted due to their
increased susceptibility to disorder risks. There will be no racial or sexual preferences.
All participant information shall be kept confidential and they will be provided with
the opportunity to withdraw from the study at any point of time (Ross et al., 2013).
3. Protection of participants- Only the researchers will have access to the data obtained
following conduction of genetic testing among the participants. The data will be
safeguarded in a secure folder in a computer that will not be accessible to
unauthorized people. While there will be no major adverse effects on the patients,

4PROPOSAL
they might feel stressed and anxious. They will also be kept anonymous, with the aim
of maintaining patient confidentiality.
Discussion:
Supports-
The quantitative data that establish an alliance of schizophrenia related genes and
presence of neurological indicators that are diagnostic of the disease will help in establishing
the hypothesis that genetic testing will predict children with disabilities. Owing to the fact
that the evidences presented in the previous sections have clearly confirmed presence of a
link between cognition and schizophrenia, conducting a genetic test of the mothers to
children with cognitive disability and/or schizophrenia will help in confirming the same.
Research finding-
The expected results of the study are that mothers with schizophrenia affected
children having cognitive deficits might show chromosomal abnormalities, when compared
to the general population. This will help in establishing relation between genetic testing and
concordance rates for schizophrenia. Dissemination of research findings to target audience
will be conducted via the use of podcasts, blogs, posters, conferences, and booklets.
Further research-
This must aim at assessing the underlying factors that govern first onset of
schizophrenia before adolescence. Knowing the individual genotypes might also act as a
potential treatment modality in future. Future research also needs to assess the efficacy and
safety of cognitive remediation for treating different symptoms of schizophrenia among
children. It is utmost essential to improve cognitive remediation practices that can be
implemented in community settings for enhancement of health and wellbeing of the target
population.

5PROPOSAL
References
Asarnow, R., & Forsyth, J. (2013). Genetics of Childhood-onset Schizophrenia. (4),
doi:10.1016/j.chc.2013.06.004.
Button, K. S., Ioannidis, J. P., Mokrysz, C., Nosek, B. A., Flint, J., Robinson, E. S., &
Munafò, M. R. (2013). Power failure: why small sample size undermines the
reliability of neuroscience. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 14(5), 365.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3475
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and
mixed methods approaches. Sage publications. Retrieved from http://www.ceil-
conicet.gov.ar/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Creswell-Cap-10.pdf
Kuo, S. S., Almasy, L., Gur, R. C., Prasad, K., Roalf, D. R., Gur, R. E., & ... Pogue-Geile, M.
F. (2018). Cognition and community functioning in schizophrenia: The nature of the
relationship. Journal Of Abnormal Psychology, 127(2), 216-227.
doi:10.1037/abn0000326
Ripke, S., Neale, B. M., Corvin, A., Walters, J. T., Farh, K. H., Holmans, P. A., ... & Pers, T.
H. (2014). Biological insights from 108 schizophrenia-associated genetic
loci. Nature, 511(7510), 421. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13595
Ross, L. F., Saal, H. M., David, K. L., & Anderson, R. R. (2013). Technical report: ethical
and policy issues in genetic testing and screening of children. Genetics in
Medicine, 15(3), 234. https://doi.org/10.1038/gim.2012.176