Focus Groups and Interviews Exploring Consumers' Reactions to and Perceptions of Reverse Mortgage Advertising

Participant Screener for CFPB Reverse Mortgage Research
Location and Date TBD
General Information and Recruiting Specifications


Two focus groups to be held at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
o Length of focus groups: 90 minutes
o Participant stipend: $75
o 12 participants recruited for each group



Four interviews to be held at 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.
o Length of interviews: 60 minutes
o Participant stipend: $60



INTERVIEWERS: Ask all participants to bring their reading glasses if necessary, because they
will be asked to read documents as part of the interview.

Recruiting Script
Hello, my name is [first and last name]. May I speak to [candidate]?
If someone other than Respondent asks why you are calling, say: I’m calling regarding an important
US government study about reverse mortgages.
Say to Respondent: I am calling from [marketing company’s name] for ICF International. ICF
International is working with a US government agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The Bureau is an agency in the Federal government whose role is to ensure that consumers get the
information they need to make financial decisions. For this specific project, the Bureau is studying
what people know about reverse mortgages, and how these products are advertised.
We are seeking people to participate in focus groups and interviews being held on _______. If you are
selected and agree to participate, we will ask you some questions in those sessions about what you
know and think about reverse mortgages. We will also show you some examples of reverse mortgage
advertisements, and ask you questions about your reactions to those advertisements and their
messages. You will not have to provide any information that you feel uncomfortable discussing.
It is important that you know that we will be audio- and videotaping your focus group so that we can
be sure to collect what you say accurately. However, your name will not appear in any reports. Also,
just so you are not surprised, staff from the Bureau and ICF International will observe your focus
group from another room.
Do you have a few minutes to answer some pre-qualifying questions? (If not, When would be a
convenient time to call back?)
Page 1 of 4

If necessary: We are not selling anything, we are only looking to find people to participate in a study
that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is conducting. Your responses will not be attributed to
you and will be kept private except where required by law. Further, information which directly
identifies you will not be given to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Q1: Do you currently own a home?



Yes  Continue
No  Thank respondent politely and end call.

Q2: Are you 62 years old or older?



Yes  Continue
No  Thank respondent politely and end call.

Q3: Are you the person in your household who is responsible for making financial decisions?




Yes  Continue
Yes, in cooperation with my [spouse, partner, etc.]  Continue
No  Ask the respondent whether the primary decision maker is available to join the call. If
not, thank respondent politely and end call.

Q4: Do you work, or have you ever worked, for a bank or other financial institution, or in the real
estate or mortgage industry?



Yes  Thank respondent politely and end call.
No  Continue

Q5: Do you work or have you ever worked for a consumer rights non-profit related to the banking or
financial industries?



Yes  Thank respondent politely and end call.
No  Continue

Q6: Have you participated in any other focus groups or interviews in the past 6 months?



Yes  Thank respondent politely and end call.
No  Continue

Q7: Have you ever heard of a “reverse mortgage”?



Yes  Continue
No  Thank respondent politely and end call.

Q8: Have you ever had a reverse mortgage?



Yes  Thank respondent politely and end call.
No  Continue

Q9: Do you currently have more than 50% equity in your primary residence?
Page 2 of 4




Yes  Participant qualifies
No  Thank respondent politely and end call.

Recruiting Quotas

Q10: Have you ever considered getting a reverse mortgage?
a) Yes
b) No
Q11: What is your age?
a) 62 to 70
b) 71 to 75
c) 76 or above

Criteria for
Focus Groups
(24 participants
total)

Criteria for
Interviews
(4 participants
total)

At least 9 recruits
should respond
“Yes”

At least 2
recruits should
respond “Yes”

At least 9 recruits
should respond
“b” or “c”

At least 2
recruits should
respond “b” or
“c”

See Q13

See Q 13

Q12: Which of the following categories best reflects your
ethnicity? You can choose more than one category.
a) Hispanic or Latino
b) Not Hispanic or Latino

Q 13: Which of the following categories best reflects your Race?
You can choose more than one category. [Respondents who wish to
choose more than one category should be counted as minorities,
At least 9 recruits
even if one race mentioned is White.]
should respond
“b” from Q12, or
a) White
“b”, “c”, “d” or
b) Black or African-American
“e” from Q13
c) Hispanic or Latino
d) Asian or Pacific Islander
e) Native American or Alaska Native

At least 2
recruits should
respond “b”
from Q12, “b”,
“c”, “d” or “e”
from Q13

• At least 5
recruits should
respond “a”
• At least 7
recruits should
respond “b”

• At least 1
recruit
should
respond “a”
• At least 1
recruit
should
respond “b”

Q14: What is the highest level that you reached in school?
a) High school degree or less
b) Some college work
c) College graduate

At least 10
recruits of each
gender

Q15: Gender

At least 1
recruit of each
gender

If participant qualifies: Based on your responses, we would like to invite you to participate in a focus
group [or interview, as appropriate], which will be held at [facility name and address]. The focus
Page 3 of 4

group [interview] will last about 90 minutes [one hour]. We may be showing you some documents to
look at during the focus group, so if you use reading glasses please be sure that you bring them. We
will provide you with a $75 [$60] incentive for participating in the focus group [interview].
If participant is willing to participate, record their name and contact information, confirm the time and
date and indicate that they will receive a confirmation call the day before the group. Regardless of
whether or not they are willing to participate, thank them before ending the call.

Page 4 of 4