Professor Ryan Wanted to Test the Hypothesis That Childhood Physical

Essay

Professor Ryan wanted to test the hypothesis that childhood physical abuse increases risk for violent behavior in adults. She asked people convicted of a violent crime in the past year about their childhood exposure to physical abuse, as well as their violent behavior as adults. Analyses showed that greater exposure to abuse predicted more adult violence, leading Professor Ryan to conclude that most children exposed to childhood physical abuse will go on to perpetrate violence as adults. What type of research design was used? Was it a reasonable choice for this research question? Explain why or why not. What flaws, if any, do you see in the researcher's study design and conclusion?