1 Participants Focus Group Protocol

Form Approved OMB No. 0990-XXXX

Expiration Date XX/XX/XXXX

Girls at Greater Risk Focus Group Protocol for Program Participants

Introduction

Good afternoon (morning, evening) and thank you for agreeing to participate in this focus group. We greatly appreciate your taking the time to assist us with learning more about the _______________ program for girls. My name is __________and I will be the guiding the discussion and asking questions about your experiences in the ___________________ program. I’d also like to introduce ____________________who will take notes on our focus group conversation. This focus group will last about an hour and a half.

You have been invited to participate in this focus group because you have been a participant in the _________________ program. You were randomly selected from a list of girls who participated in the program. This means that all girls who have participated in the program had an equal chance of being selected to participate in this focus group. The purpose of this focus group is to learn about your experiences and thoughts about the __________________ program. We will use this information to help us learn what it is like to participate in this program. We would like to learn about the types of things you do, what you learned and if the program helped you. We would also like to learn about your ideas on how the program can be improved. You should also know that we are having these focus groups with nine other programs for girls around the country and we are asking the same questions.

You each bring unique experiences to this focus group. Therefore, we want to learn from each of you. I will ask questions and allow each of you to respond. Although I would like to get a response from each of you to each question you can choose not to answer a question if you don’t want to. My major job is to guide this discussion. I will do this by asking questions and giving you an opportunity to share your experiences. Hopefully, sharing your experiences will allow others to feel comfortable enough to share theirs.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is XXXX-XXXX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 1.5 hours per response including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, the gather data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to:

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
OS/OIRM/PRA
200 Independence Ave., S.W., Suite 531-H
Washington D.C. 20201

Attention: PRA Reports Clearance Officer.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is XXXX-XXXX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 1.5 hours per response including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, the gather data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to:

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
OS/OIRM/PRA
200 Independence Ave., S.W., Suite 531-H
Washington D.C. 20201

Attention: PRA Reports Clearance Officer.

So that everyone is heard and can express her opinions, we will follow these discussion guidelines:

1. Cell phones: We ask that you turn them off or silence them so that they will not ring during the focus group.

2. Only one person should speak at a time. It is difficult to hear if we are all speaking at once. We don’t want to lose any information.

3. If possible, we would like to hear from everyone on each question asked.

4. We also ask that focus group members keep whatever is said in this group confidential.

5. We will be taping this group so that we have an exact record of our discussion. This tape will be transcribed (put into words, removing any personal identifiers). Each of you has been given a place card that has a number on it. Although, it feels somewhat less personal, each of you will refer to yourselves and to others by your number instead of by your first name, that way when we transcribe the tape no names will appear.

Also, so that the transcriber will be able to tell who is speaking, I need you to state your number before you speak. It takes a few minutes to get used to doing this. I also need you to speak up, especially if you tend to be soft-spoken. Is there anyone who does not feel comfortable being taped?

Facilitator Note: If a participant has questions about being taped, the facilitator will indicate that the participant can turn off the tape when he or she is speaking.

Administer Approved IRB Assent/Consent form (To be submitted)

6. Background Information Form. Please complete this form to help us get a sense of the age, grade and length of program participation of girls in our focus group.

Focus Group Questions

1. Why did you join the _______________________ program?

2. What did you hope to get out of the program?

   1. Probe: What did you expect?

3. What did you like, if anything about the program?

   1. Probe for what girls liked. Include probes for activities, discussion topics, staff, materials and location.

4. What, if anything did you learn from being in this program?

5. Have you changed your behavior in anyway after being in the program?

   1. Probe for types of behavior changes if they say yes.

6. Do you feel differently about yourself or other because of being in the program?

   1. Probe for ways that they feel different about themselves or others.

7. What would you do, if anything to improve the program?

   1. Probes: What types of activities would you like to see in the program that are not currently available?

   2. What activities would you like to change?

8. Do you feel that the program addresses your concerns or what you need?

   1. Probe: Can you give an example of how they address your concerns or needs?

9. How do girls get along in the program?

10. What is the relationship like between staff and girls?

11. What do the staff do to help girls in the program?

12. How satisfied are you with this program? If one is not very satisfied and five is very satisfied, how would you rate your satisfaction?

13. Would you recommend this program to a friend? Probe depending upon level of satisfaction. .

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