ERSG Facilitator Mid-Year Qualitative Interview

Form Approved

OMB No. 0920-0861

Exp. Date: 08/31/2013

Public Reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated at 45 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road NW, MS D-74, Atlanta, GA 30333; Attn: PRA (0920-0861).

Attachment K: Mid-Year ERSG Facilitator Qualitative Interview Guide

Goals of the Interview: understand how and why the program works. Includes:

• Exploring what makes groups function, the process of change, group dynamics

• Identifying what’s working well and where there’s room for programmatic improvement

Research Approach: Grounded Theory

• The purpose of a grounded theory approach is to ask people about their experiences with a phenomenon/topic, and then use this information to generate a theory about it. Interview questions typically focus on the individual’s experience of the phenomenon and the causal conditions and consequences of the phenomenon.

• Grounded theory is a good approach when a theory is needed to describe how people are experiencing a phenomenon.

• The current study aims to generate theories that explain how and why Expect Respect support groups work.

Content Areas for Mid-Year Interviews

1. General information about groups

2. How groups work

3. Process of change for individual students

4. Programmatic strengths and weaknesses

Interview Script

Thank you so much for agreeing to talk with me. As I described earlier, I will be asking you questions about your experiences leading the Expect Respect support groups over the last 12-weeks. Our conversation will help us to understand more about how and in what ways the groups work. We hope to use this information to continue strengthening the program and to expand the field’s understanding of programs like Expect Respect.

A. To start, I would like to know more about the groups you’ve been leading over the last 3 months.

1. How many groups do you lead?

2. How large are the groups?

3. Have you been able to establish consistent groups?

4. How did the referral process work for you?

5. How many are middle school students? How many are high school students?

6. Did you facilitate groups in previous years?

B. Still thinking about the groups that you’ve been leading this year, I want you to think about a group that is going well.

5. What is it about the group that illustrates it’s going well?

Prompts

a. How do you see students in group interacting with each other?

• Can you think of examples of: students identifying with others, modeling positive behavior, supporting each other, holding each other accountable, sharing personal experiences, problem solving together, articulating expectations for positive relationships in and outside of group?

b. What norms do you see the group expressing/espousing about healthy relationships?

• What norms do you see about dating violence?

  • Can you give you me an example?

  • What within group differences (if any) do you see in the norms they hold/express?

• What norms do you see expressed in the group members’ interactions with each other?

c. In what ways have things shifted in group since the beginning of the year?

d. How does the school (climate, personnel, support) contribute to the group functioning?

• How did you interact with the school (the school contact person, other school personnel)?

• How would you describe the school climate?

• How is the school climate and level of support in the school related to the overall functioning of the ERSG?

• Can you describe the impact ERSG have on the broader school environment, such as school personnel, student body, school safety or social climate? Can you give an example?

6. How would you describe your facilitation style?

Prompts

a. How do you see your role in the group (e.g., as rule enforcer, coach, cheerleader)

b. How do students react to/treat you?

c. What personal characteristics or qualities help you as a facilitator?

7. What changes are you looking for or hoping to see in group members?

C. Now I would like you to think about a group that is not going as well.

8. What distinguishes this group from the one you described previously?

9. What contributes to this difference?

Prompts:

a. In what ways do students interact with each other similarly or differently than the other group?

b. In what ways are the group norms similar to or different from the other group?

c. In what ways is your facilitation style similar or different than the other group?

d. How does the school (climate, personnel, support) contribute similarly or differently?

e. What do you think will help improve the functioning of this group?

D. Finally, I’m interested in learning more about how you see the Expect Respect curriculum working with regards to your groups this year.

10. So far, what topics, activities, or discussions have students seem most interested in (or related to best)?

Prompts

a. In what topics, activities, or discussions have students seem less interested?

b. What topics, activities, or discussions seemed more difficult for students?

c. Can you given an example of the way that groups react differently to the same topics?

d. What do you think caused these differences to occur?