Focus Group Moderator's Guide

Attachment D: Focus Group Moderator’s Guide

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Focus Group Moderator’s Guide

Welcome and Introductions

(15 minutes)

1. Purpose: The main purpose of our discussion is to get your thoughts and feedback on different ways we might talk about and provide information about healthy relationships.

2. Disclosures:

   • Observation

   • Audio taping

   • Measures for safeguarding privacy

3. Ground rules:

• No right/wrong answers—all about your honest opinions

• We want different points of view, can agree/disagree

• Need to hear from everyone, one at a time please

4. Introductions: name, grade/age, example of one thing you really like to do with friends

Issue A: Feedback on Proposed Communication Channels

(60 minutes)

The purpose of this section is to get “top of mind” reactions to possible channels for communications on healthy relationships. These questions are samples only, since the specific channels will be determined through formative research.

Today we are going to talk about some different ways we could communicate with you and other people your age about healthy relationships. [Moderator passes out slips of paper with a brief one-paragraph description of a specific way in which the campaign could engage youth, for example, a description of how a T-shirt design contest would work.] Here is an example of one idea of how to get people your age talking about healthy relationships. Please read the slip of paper silently to yourself while I read it out loud. [Moderator reads description on the slip of paper out loud.]

[Channels will be introduced and then discussed one at a time. Channels will be introduced in a different order in each focus group.]

[For each channel, moderator leads participants through a discussion of the following questions:]

1. What is your general impression of this idea?

Do you like it? Not like it? What makes you say that?

Was this a new idea or something that you’ve heard before?

Is it trying to get people to do something? If yes, what?

2. Who do you think this idea is for?

Is it for people like you or someone else?

Is it for people your age or a different age?

2. If you saw information about healthy relationships in these places, would it catch your attention?

How believable or unbelievable do you think these messages would be?

If you saw this, what would you do?

Would you talk to your friends about it?

Issue B: Feedback on Draft Messages and Materials

(10 minutes)

The purpose of this section is to get “top of mind” reactions to draft outreach materials and messages designed for communications on healthy relationships. These questions are samples only, since the specific messages and ideas for materials will be determined based on formative research.

Today we are also going to talk about some different materials. [Moderator passes out copies of materials and/or hangs items on the wall as appropriate.]

[Materials will be introduced and then discussed one at a time. Materials will be introduced in a different order in each focus group.]

[For each material, moderator leads participants through a discussion of the following questions:]

1. General Impressions:

What is your general impression? Do you like it? Not like it? What makes you say that?

Were there any words that were unusual or unfamiliar?

Is it trying to get people to do something? If yes, what?

2. Audience and Source:

Who do you think this is for?

Is it for people like you or someone else?

Who wrote or produced this item?

Have you heard of them before?

Are they a good source of information?

3. Content Questions:

Do you like the way it is written? [Probe: tone, language/style, etc.] Is it easy to read?

Is there anything you want to know that this item does not tell you?

4. Design Questions:

What do you think about the type? Is it easy/difficult to read? [Probe: Font too big? Too small? Too dense?]

Are you able to see the headline and text easily?

What do you think about the length of the piece?

Would it catch your attention if you saw it somewhere?

Issue D: Conclusion

(5 minutes)

1. Check with CDC for additional questions

2. Ask for any additional ideas from participants

3. Thank participants for their time and ideas

4. Provide departure instructions

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