Micro-Activity#12: Domestic Violence

Research Question:

In what ways does domestic violence affect learner performance in school?

I got interested in the question because my classmate has been a victim of domestic violence. Another significant reason I got interested in domestic violence as my research topic is its negative impact on learners and the learning environment (Jenney and Alaggia 265). Specifically, domestic violence increases the chances of substance abuse and truancy, impacting a learner’s performance negatively (Mahapatro 5). Comprehensively, I got interested in the topic to satisfy my curiosity about domestic violence’s overall impact on children.

The main reason why I am interested in this research question is to identify the various ways in which domestic violence impacts learners and the learning environment. Specifically, learners are the unseen victims of domestic violence who suffer in silence, an aspect that dramatically disrupts their concentration on learning (Rogers 110). Jenney and Alaggia maintain that domestic violence victims consequently transfer these uncouth behavior patterns like aggressiveness from their households to the classroom environment, which adversely affects learners and the learning environment (265). Mahapatro also explains that the recent surge in numbers of learners unable to complete assignments given by their teachers is another negative impact of domestic violence (10). Precisely, my interest in studying domestic violence is charged by the connection between poor performance in academic work, difficulties in completing classroom assignments, and struggle with social skills among children who have experienced domestic violence. 

I expect to find substantial evidence to support the connection between poor academic performance and domestic violence. A comprehensive analysis of the learner’s previous academic records against the current academic performance in question can provide useful information on domestic violence impacts on learners (Cross 335). Moreover, I expect learners from families with domestic violence cases to explain why they are, on several occasions, unable to complete schoolwork assigned by their teachers. Cross reveals that domestic violence significantly reduces the learner’s energy, interest, and concentration levels in completing the work assigned by their tutors (340). Still, from the research question on domestic violence, I expect to establish the factors behind the difficulty in maintaining learners’ standard social behaviors. The research question should also help me derive crucial information from the learners explaining their poor display of the expected social behavior, such as interaction with others in classroom discussions. 

Suppose I find something that does not fit my hypothesis on this research question, I will change my data collection techniques because the subjects might be unwilling to share private information on domestic violence. Specifically, I will focus my attention on my primary research subjects, which, in my case, are learners from families that exhibit domestic violence cases. Similarly, I will use the information provided by their parents because they spend a significant amount of time with the children; therefore, parents are better positioned to make accurate observations. In that regard, I will adjust my research questions and ensure that they seek to establish domestic violence effects while maintaining ethics and without violating or infringing on their private life.

Works cited

Cross, Courtney. “Harm Reduction in the Domestic Violence Context.” The Politicization of Safety, 2019, pp. 332–361., doi:10.18574/nyu/9781479805648.003.0014. 

Jenney, Angelique, and Ramona Alaggia. “The Impact of Exposure to Domestic Violence on Children and Youth.” The Routledge International Handbook of Violence Studies, 2018, pp. 264–276., doi:10.4324/9781315270265-25. 

Mahapatro, Meerambika. “Understanding Domestic Violence.” Domestic Violence and Health Care in India, 2018, pp. 1–46., doi:10.1007/978-981-10-6159-2_1. 

Rogers, Michaela. “Domestic Violence and Abuse and Hidden Groups.” Domestic Violence in Health Contexts: A Guide for Healthcare Professions, 2019, pp. 109–122., doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29361-1_8.