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

A practical and authoritative guide to conducting focus group discussions in health and social science research, with particular emphasis on using focus groups in developing country settings. Monique M. Hennink describes the procedures and challenges of each stage of international focus group research. This book demonstrates how to balance scientific rigour with the challenges of the research context, and guides readers to make informed research decisions. It includes unique field perspectives and case study examples of research in practice. Topics covered include: planning international field research; developing a fieldwork timetable and budget; seeking research permissions; translating research instruments; training a field team; developing a culturally appropriate discussion guide; participant recruitment strategies; conducting focus groups in another language; managing discussions in outdoor locations; group size and composition issues; transcription and translation of the group discussions; data analysis and reporting focus group research. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Figures 14 Preface 17 Acknowledgements 19 1 Introduction to focus group research 21 Introduction 21 Purpose of this book 22 Structure and development of the book 23 What is a focus group discussion? 24 Strengths and limitations of focus group discussions 26 When to use focus group discussions 30 Multi-method research designs 32 Types of focus group research 35 2 Planning international focus group research 38 Introduction 38 Defining the objectives, target population and outcomes of research 39 The process of focus group research 40 Estimating a fieldwork timetable 42 Developing a fieldwork budget 44 Seeking research permissions 45 Recruiting a field team 47 Selecting a moderator 49 Payment and incentives 51 Ethical considerations 53 Institutional review committees 53 Informed consent 55 Harm to participants 58 Confidentiality and anonymity 58 Ethics in data analysis and dissemination 61 3 Preparing the discussion guide 64 Introduction 64 Purpose of the discussion guide 65 Developing the discussion guide 67 Types of discussion guides 68 Structure of the discussion guide 70 Introduction 71 Opening questions 73 Introductory questions 74 Transition questions 75 Key questions 75 Ending questions 75 Number of questions 76 Group activities 77 Question design 78 Gaining depth in the discussion 82 Discussion guides for international focus group research 84 Using a translated discussion guide 85 Which language to use? 86 Translating the discussion guide 88 Checking the translation 90 Culturally appropriate questioning strategies 90 Pilot-testing the discussion guide 91 4 Training the focus group team 95 Introduction 95 The importance of training 96 Who to train 99 Moderator 99 Note-taker 100 Transcriber 102 Field staff 104 Training manual 104 Components of training 105 Research objectives 106 Focus group methodology 106 Discussion guide 107 Role-play sessions 107 Research context and study population 110 Equipment operation 110 Training schedule 110 5 Participant recruitment 113 Introduction 113 What is participant recruitment? 114 Defining the participants 115 Screening questionnaire 116 Recruitment strategies 118 Using a list 119 Telephone recruitment 121 Events or professional organisations 121 Social gathering points 122 Services 122 ‘Snowball’ recruitment 123 Advertisements and notices 123 Professional screening agencies 124 Community recruitment 124 Identify community ‘gatekeepers’ 128 Identify a group location 129 Seek assistance with recruitment 130 Recruitment of participants 132 Conduct the group discussion 133 Debrief gatekeeper(s) 133 6 Group composition 135 Introduction 135 Stranger groups vs. acquaintance groups 136 Pre-existing or acquaintance groups 137 Groups of strangers 140 Fieldwork challenges 142 Homogenous group composition 144 Moderator characteristics 148 Fieldwork challenges 149 Demographic characteristics 149 Personal relationships 150 Power relationships 152 7 Number of groups and group size 155 Introduction 155 Group size 156 Managing group size during fieldwork 159 Managing many participants 159 Use a screening questionnaire 160 Conduct simultaneous group discussions 161 Prior selection of participants 161 Use a ‘door-guard’ 162 Conduct a ‘dummy’ discussion group 162 Managing few participants 163 Timing of the discussion groups 164 Specific sub-groups 164 Number of groups 165 Segmentation of the study population 166 Information saturation 169 8 Focus group location 172 Introduction 172 Physical location 173 Access 173 Venue 175 Outdoor locations 176 Discouraging onlookers 178 Internal environment 180 Neutral location 180 Seating arrangements 182 9 Conducting the group discussion 185 Introduction 185 Roles of the focus group team 186 Note-taker 186 Assistant 188 Moderator 188 Process of group moderation 191 Pre-discussion 192 Introductory stage 193 Central discussion stage 195 Closing stage 196 Post-discussion stage 196 Moderation techniques 197 Level of moderator involvement 197 Encouraging and managing a discussion 198 Careful listening 200 Utilising non-verbal signals 200 Probing 201 Encouraging diverse views 203 Using stimulus materials 204 Managing group dynamics 206 Common problems with moderation 209 10 Recording the focus group discussion 213 Introduction 213 Note-taking 214 Video-recording 216 Audio-recording 216 Practical issues 219 Pre- and post-session questionnaires 221 11 Data preparation and analysis 224 Introduction 224 Principles of data analysis 225 Level of data analysis varies 226 Analysis is an ongoing process 226 Remain close to the data during analysis 227 Analysis is circular, not linear 227 Analysis is systematic and rigorous 227 Analysis can be verified 228 Process of data analysis 229 Stage 1: Data preparation 230 Transcribing the discussion 230 Translating the transcripts 234 Clean, label and anonymise data 238 Stage 2: Identifying themes in the data 240 What is a theme? 241 Identifying themes 241 Stage 3: Label data by themes 246 Stage 4: Using the framework for analysis 247 Descriptive Analysis 248 Theory development 250 Synthesis of findings 252 12 Reporting focus group research 255 Introduction 255 Reporting focus group research 256 Identify the purpose and audience 256 Identify the key messages 258 Structure and format 258 Using data extracts 260 Reporting without extracts 263 Listing or ranking issues 263 Presenting process information 264 Conceptual frameworks 264 Typologies 265 Descriptive case studies 265 Conveying context in reports 265 Reporting findings in mixed-method research 267 Community dissemination of results 268 References 270 Index 275 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 "A practical and authoritative guide to conducting focus group discussions in health and social science research, with particular emphasis on using focus groups in developing country settings. Monique M. Hennink describes the procedures and challenges of each stage of international focus group research. This book demonstrates how to balance scientific rigour with the challenges of the research context, and guides readers to make informed research decisions. It includes unique field perspectives and case study examples of research in practice. Topics covered include: planning international field research; developing a fieldwork timetable and budget; seeking research permissions; translating research instruments; training a field team; developing a culturally appropriate discussion guide; participant recruitment strategies; conducting focus groups in another language; managing discussions in outdoor locations; group size and composition issues; transcription and translation of the group discussions; data analysis and reporting focus group research."--pub. desc