International Focus Group Research: A Handbook for the Health and Social Sciences

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Figures......Page 14
Preface......Page 17
Acknowledgements......Page 19
Introduction......Page 21
Purpose of this book......Page 22
Structure and development of the book......Page 23
What is a focus group discussion?......Page 24
Strengths and limitations of focus group discussions......Page 26
When to use focus group discussions......Page 30
Multi-method research designs......Page 32
Types of focus group research......Page 35
Introduction......Page 38
Defining the objectives, target population and outcomes of research......Page 39
The process of focus group research......Page 40
Estimating a fieldwork timetable......Page 42
Developing a fieldwork budget......Page 44
Seeking research permissions......Page 45
Recruiting a field team......Page 47
Selecting a moderator......Page 49
Payment and incentives......Page 51
Institutional review committees......Page 53
Informed consent......Page 55
Confidentiality and anonymity......Page 58
Ethics in data analysis and dissemination......Page 61
Introduction......Page 64
Purpose of the discussion guide......Page 65
Developing the discussion guide......Page 67
Types of discussion guides......Page 68
Structure of the discussion guide......Page 70
Introduction......Page 71
Opening questions......Page 73
Introductory questions......Page 74
Ending questions......Page 75
Number of questions......Page 76
Group activities......Page 77
Question design......Page 78
Gaining depth in the discussion......Page 82
Discussion guides for international focus group research......Page 84
Using a translated discussion guide......Page 85
Which language to use?......Page 86
Translating the discussion guide......Page 88
Culturally appropriate questioning strategies......Page 90
Pilot-testing the discussion guide......Page 91
Introduction......Page 95
The importance of training......Page 96
Moderator......Page 99
Note-taker......Page 100
Transcriber......Page 102
Training manual......Page 104
Components of training......Page 105
Focus group methodology......Page 106
Role-play sessions......Page 107
Training schedule......Page 110
Introduction......Page 113
What is participant recruitment?......Page 114
Defining the participants......Page 115
Screening questionnaire......Page 116
Recruitment strategies......Page 118
Using a list......Page 119
Events or professional organisations......Page 121
Services......Page 122
Advertisements and notices......Page 123
Community recruitment......Page 124
Identify community ‘gatekeepers’......Page 128
Identify a group location......Page 129
Seek assistance with recruitment......Page 130
Recruitment of participants......Page 132
Debrief gatekeeper(s)......Page 133
Introduction......Page 135
Stranger groups vs. acquaintance groups......Page 136
Pre-existing or acquaintance groups......Page 137
Groups of strangers......Page 140
Fieldwork challenges......Page 142
Homogenous group composition......Page 144
Moderator characteristics......Page 148
Demographic characteristics......Page 149
Personal relationships......Page 150
Power relationships......Page 152
Introduction......Page 155
Group size......Page 156
Managing many participants......Page 159
Use a screening questionnaire......Page 160
Prior selection of participants......Page 161
Conduct a ‘dummy’ discussion group......Page 162
Managing few participants......Page 163
Specific sub-groups......Page 164
Number of groups......Page 165
Segmentation of the study population......Page 166
Information saturation......Page 169
Introduction......Page 172
Access......Page 173
Venue......Page 175
Outdoor locations......Page 176
Discouraging onlookers......Page 178
Neutral location......Page 180
Seating arrangements......Page 182
Introduction......Page 185
Note-taker......Page 186
Moderator......Page 188
Process of group moderation......Page 191
Pre-discussion......Page 192
Introductory stage......Page 193
Central discussion stage......Page 195
Post-discussion stage......Page 196
Level of moderator involvement......Page 197
Encouraging and managing a discussion......Page 198
Utilising non-verbal signals......Page 200
Probing......Page 201
Encouraging diverse views......Page 203
Using stimulus materials......Page 204
Managing group dynamics......Page 206
Common problems with moderation......Page 209
Introduction......Page 213
Note-taking......Page 214
Audio-recording......Page 216
Practical issues......Page 219
Pre- and post-session questionnaires......Page 221
Introduction......Page 224
Principles of data analysis......Page 225
Analysis is an ongoing process......Page 226
Analysis is systematic and rigorous......Page 227
Analysis can be verified......Page 228
Process of data analysis......Page 229
Transcribing the discussion......Page 230
Translating the transcripts......Page 234
Clean, label and anonymise data......Page 238
Stage 2: Identifying themes in the data......Page 240
Identifying themes......Page 241
Stage 3: Label data by themes......Page 246
Stage 4: Using the framework for analysis......Page 247
Descriptive Analysis......Page 248
Theory development......Page 250
Synthesis of findings......Page 252
Introduction......Page 255
Identify the purpose and audience......Page 256
Structure and format......Page 258
Using data extracts......Page 260
Listing or ranking issues......Page 263
Conceptual frameworks......Page 264
Conveying context in reports......Page 265
Reporting findings in mixed-method research......Page 267
Community dissemination of results......Page 268
References......Page 270
Index......Page 275