English Moderators Guide

Recovery Month (2018 Public Service Announcements)

OMB No. 0930-0196

Expiration Date: 09/30/19

Public Burden Statement: 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. The OMB control number for this project is 0930-0196. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 90 minutes per respondent, per year, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15E57-B, Rockville, Maryland 20857.

MODERATOR’S GUIDE

ROADMAP OF PLANNED ACTIVITIES

Intro, disclosures, guidelines, self-intros	10 minutes
Opening Discussion	15 minutes
Non-comparative evaluation	50 minutes
Comparative evaluation	15 minutes
TOTAL TIME AVAILABLE	90 minutes

Show PSAs in the following order by group:

Group 1: A, B, C – Rockville, MD, English

Group 2: B, C, A – Rockville, MD, Spanish

Group 3: C, A, B – Chicago, IL, English

Group 4: A, B, C – Chicago, IL, Spanish

A = (PSA name) B = (PSA name) C = (PSA name)

INTRODUCTION

Hello, My Name is (Name of Moderator) and I’m the moderator for today’s discussion. The main purpose of the discussion is to get your opinions about some TV public service announcements, otherwise known as PSAs, commercials or spots, currently in development.

The PSAs are designed to inform people about the effectiveness of treatment and support for mental and substance use disorders and the important contributions that people in recovery make to themselves, their family and friends, workplace and community.

We will not be seeing the final TV spots, but rather plans for them in picture format. These are just drawings of what might be filmed and what you might see on TV if these were real spots. These are not the actual, final images. We called them ‘story boards’ and they were prepared to obtain your feedback about the PSAs. These spots are sponsored by a U.S. Federal government agency that promotes the quality and availability of community-based mental and substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services for individuals and families who need them.

We’ll be doing several things tonight:

1. Participating in a group discussion.

2. Looking at some TV commercial concepts (not final spots, but storyboards)

3. Occasionally doing some private writing

I have nothing to sell today. This is a consumer-opinion project.

Feel free to make negative or positive comments about any of the things we’ll be discussing today. This is a free-flowing discussion and there are no wrong or right answers. All of your responses are confidential.

DISCLOSURES

When you agreed to be part of this focus group, you signed a Consent Form that explained the purpose and your role in this discussion-group setting. There are microphones on the table, mirrors on this side of the room, and observers behind that wall. The observers are listening to make sure I cover everything we need to discuss. Before we end for the day, they’ll let me know if I have missed anything. The session is being taped so I can write an accurate report not of “who said what,” but “what was said.” Your name will not be used in the report. As you have been told previously, your participation here and everything you say is totally confidential.

GUIDELINES

In order to make this work as a research session, there are some guidelines to follow:

• Please talk one at a time and in a voice at least as loud as mine.

• Avoid side conversations with your neighbors.

• I need to hear from everyone in the course of the conversation and to the degree
  possible, let’s have equal “air time,” so that everybody talks about the same amount – nobody talks too much and nobody talks too little.

• There is no right or wrong answers to the questions I ask – there are different points of view. It’s valuable for me to hear all points of view, so it’s especially important to speak up when you disagree with what someone else has said. Also please remember that I did not develop the spots you’re going to see so I won’t be hurt or penalized by any criticism you might have.

• I may need to move on to another area of discussion sooner than you are ready, and may have to cut a conversation short in the interest of time. If I interrupt you, it is not personal; I just want to get everything covered on the agenda that is planned. You’re welcome to speak to me after the group so that I can be sure I get all your thoughts and comments.

• At any time, you can excuse yourself to go to the restroom or to get more food or beverages. I ask that only one person should be up or about at a time.

SELF-INTRODUCTIONS

Before we get started, let’s introduce ourselves to each other. Let’s go around the room and tell us: (TAKE NOTES!!!)

• Your first name

• Who else lives in your household

• Something fun you like to do

INTRODUCTION

We will be talking tonight about ways to communicate to the public about recovery from mental and substance use disorders. Some of you may know people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol or individuals suffering from mental health problems, others may know people who are in recovery, or you may even have your own experiences. Others may only know about these things from reading or the media.

[MODERATOR REVEALS FLIPCHART WITH THE WORDS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH; MENTAL HEALTH; MENTAL DISORDERS; ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION; ALCOHOL AND DRUG PROBLEMS; RECOVERY (ONE WORD PER PAGE)]

• What comes to mind when you hear the words: (purpose is to capture participants’ level of familiarity to concepts)

  • Behavioral Health?

  • Mental health?

  • Mental health issue?

  • Mental illness

  • Alcohol/drug problems?

  • Substance use disorder

  • Alcohol/drug addiction?

• What are the differences between alcohol or drug addiction and alcohol or drug problems? What words pop into your mind? How do you relate to each?

• What comes to your mind when you hear recovery? What does recovery mean to you? [Flip chart]

• Are there other words or terms that you would use besides “recovery?”

• Who plays a role in recovery? What kind of role?

PSA REVIEW

As discussed earlier, you are going to review ideas for television public service announcements, or PSAs. A PSA is an announcement developed for radio and/or TV designed to raise awareness of a particular issue – they are not selling a product or service. The PSAs all depict an aspect of recovery: the strength one feels when part of a group, encourage communities to be socially inclusive of people in recovery, as social connections improve the process for people with behavioral health conditions. People in recovery want to participate in their communities through meaningful daily activities—such as work, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors—and want opportunities for independence, income, and resources to engage in society. Support and being able to rely on others is vital to one’s recovery process.

What are some PSAs that you’ve seen on television? (Probe: texting and driving, drinking and driving, anti-drug, recycling, other?)

I would like to start out by showing you story boards of three TV spots about recovery from mental and/or substance use disorders. We will discuss each spot individually.

Please keep in mind that:

• These are just drawings of what might be filmed and what you might see on TV if these were real spots. These are not the actual, final images.

• I would like to know about your thoughts on the spots, but not on the little things. For instance, please don’t be distracted if you don’t like a person’s clothes or expression. The final commercial will be shot in color with professional actors and in a location that we design and develop, which is specific for the ad’s story.

• The final commercial will feature a diversity of individuals.

• Keep in mind that the final PSAs are very brief and last: 30 seconds or less.

For each PSA, we will follow this order:

• I will describe the visual elements of the PSAs.

• Next, I will read what the narrator says. I will read this twice.

• Before we say anything about the PSA, I will hand out a worksheet and give you a couple of minutes to fill it out.

• After you complete the brief worksheet, we will have a group discussion about the PSA.

• If you think of questions or comments during the review, please jot them down in your copy of the storyboard. We can discuss them after you complete the worksheet.

[DISTRIBUTE ONE STORYBOARD AT A TIME TO EACH PARTICIPANT, DESCRIBE THE STORYBOARD, THEN DISCUSS IN THE ORDER DRESCIBED ABOVE. PRESENT AGAIN IF NECESSARY.]

Main Theme/Point Exercise

Before we say anything about this storyboard, let me hand out a worksheet [Worksheet 1: Theme Worksheet]. Please write down what you think the main message is of this ad.

[WAIT A FEW MINUTES TO COMPLETE EXERCISE]

Initial Reactions/Message

• What do you think about the storyboard (called - name of the PSA) we looked at?

• What did you write in your sheet for the main idea/message of this storyboard?

• What do you like about it? What do you dislike?

• Were there any elements that stood out from the story? Something that catches your attention? What is it? Was there anything in the storyboard that was confusing or not clear? Anything that would make the spots more interesting?

• How would you describe the ad’s story to a friend, who has not seen it?

Audience

• Who do you think this ad is for?
  PROBE: Is it talking to people who are in recovery, family members or friends of people in recovery, anybody else who interacts with people in recovery, people who are still living with a disorder and not in recovery, the general public?

• What makes you think that?

• How do you think (the main audience) would react?

• (For 2^nd and 3^rd spot): Is the audience different from the audience for the previous ads?

Call to Action

• Why do you think the sponsors made this spot? What are they trying to achieve with it?

• Do you think this ad is trying to get the audience to do something? If yes, what is it?

• How persuasive was this spot? Would you do what it was asking you to?

[REFER TO CALL TO ACTION AS RESPONDENTS STATED, NOT TRUE CALL TO ACTION]

Accuracy

• Was there anything else in the storyboard (called - name of the PSA) that is especially realistic?

• Was there anything else in the storyboard (called - name of the PSA) that isn’t realistic?

(If Execution Issues Arise, Remind Respondents That These Are Not Final Spots)

• Was there anything in the storyboard (called - name of the PSA) that troubled you in any way?

PROBE: Any particular words or phrases?

[SHOWCASE AND DISCUSS THE OTHER TWO ANIMATICS IN THE SAME WAY]

[MODERATOR COLLECTS COMPLETED WORKSHEETS]

EVALUATION BY CRITERIA (AFTER INDIVIDUAL STORYBOARD DISCUSSIONS)

• Let’s analyze and evaluate all three spots.

[REVIEW EACH SPOT BY NAME SO PARTICIPANTS CAN CORRECTLY IDENTIFY EACH SPOT BY NAME].

[DISTRIBUTE OUT EVALUATION WORKSHEET [Worksheet 2].

• There is only enough funding to produce two of the three spots. If you were the agency, which two of these three spots would you fund? Please vote on the form and write a short reason why you think the spots you choose are the best. Use “1” for your top or favorite choice, “2” for your second choice, and “3” for the spot you think is least effective.

[DISCUSS IF TIME ALLOWS: IF CALLING TOLL-FREE NUMBER NOT MENTIONED WHEN DISCUSSING STORYBOARDS, MENTION HERE:]

• (If they don’t understand the call to action) – Did you notice there was a phone number at the end of every spot?

• Why would anyone call that number? Under what circumstances would you call?

• If you called that number, what would you expect?

PROBE: Would you expect a recording? Would you expect a live person?

• What kind of help, if any, would you expect to get from that number?

• What kind of help would be more helpful? What would you want to hear?

Inform participants:

The number that you have seen in these spots tonight is an actual working number. It is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) National Helpline. The Helpline is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish. The Helpline provides free information and publications on prevention, treatment and recovery for substance use and mental disorders as well as referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Here is a sheet with additional information on the Helpline. Please feel free to take extra if you would like to pass them on to anyone in your family, workplace, place of worship or community.

[HAND OUT INFORMATION ON THE SAMHSA NATIONAL HELPLINE AND FACTS ABOUT MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.]

[MODERATOR EXCUSES HERSELF AND LEAVES THE ROOM TO TALK TO OBSERVERS]

THANKS AND FAREWELL

Thanks for coming tonight and providing your opinions. You will find these spots and other resources at recoverymonth.gov. These spots will be airing sometime in April, 2017 and you will have contributed to making them effective. Your comments have been very helpful and insightful. Goodnight and have a great day tomorrow.

Group Code

WORKSHEET 1

What is the main theme/point of the PSA?

(Name of the PSA)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

(Name of the PSA)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

(Name of the PSA)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Group Code

WORKSHEET 2

Evaluation of PSAs

Please rank the PSAs in the order in which you think they should be produced, i.e. rank #1 = highest priority for production, #2 = second priority for production and #3 = lowest priority for production. Write a sentence explaining why you chose the rank that you did for each one.

____________________ (name of PSA)

Because:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

____________________ (name of PSA)

Because:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

____________________ (name of PSA)

Because:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Attachment B – Moderator’s Guide