Purpose:Develop critical thinking and competencies to develop testable hypotheses evaluating biopsychosocial problems, research questions, and relationships of variables using empirical evidence in the literature.

Assignment: Formulate your research question, operationalize variables, and create testable hypotheses.

You must use research databases and a preliminary literature review (follow the instructions of assignment#4 to conduct an initial literature review). Furthermore, follow the steps below to refine the research question, understand variable relationships and definitions, and develop testable hypotheses.

• Revisit research questions with an in-depth understanding of the literature review, theoretical perspectives, and the relationship of variables. Reformulate your question if needed to make it more specific and provide a brief explanation.
• Examples: How do access to education, availability of social support networks, and employment opportunities influence the successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals between ages 18 and 25 years into society?
• Operationally define variables and briefly describe the causal relationships. Identify variables' confounding, mediating, and moderating effects in your research question. Clearly describe the reasons to defend your position and rule out such effects if that's the case. Operationalizing a variable involves defining and measuring the variable in a quantifiable way that you can observe. Look at the following steps, which include an example to clarify how to operationalize a variable. Suppose you want to operationalize the variable "perceived social support" amongcaregiversof elderly people.
• Step 1: Try to understand conceptually the different aspects of perceived social support (for caregivers), such as emotional support from friends, instrumental support from family members, and informational support from support groups.
• Step 2: Your conceptual understanding of the variable "perceived social support" can help you define it as the subjective perception of emotional, instrumental, and informational assistance available from social networks to caregivers of elderly people.
• Step 3: You can operationally use a variable (dependent variable) by developing or finding a reliable and valid scale/instrument which can help you quantify responses. You can operationalize "perceived social support" by using a scale that assesses the caregivers' perception of their support network. For example, a 5-point Likert scale with statements like "I feel supported emotionally by my friends" or "My family provides practical help when needed" can help you collect responses from research subjects. You can search the database for a well-established, reliable, and valid scale like the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) for your research.

Format and other requirements:Following APA 7, present your research question and operational definition of your variables with testable hypotheses with a brief explanation of the formulation of the research question and the relationship of variables. The assignment should be 2-3 typed pages (no more than three pages)No citation is required at present.