Respondents- Individuals/Households (Parents/Children/Teens)

OMB Control No: 0584-0606 Expiration Date: 03/31/2019 Expiration Date: 03/31/2019

Appendix H7. Participant Caregiver Survey and Screener Pretest Protocol

(5 mins)

INTRODUCTION

Hello, my name is ______________ and I work for Westat, a survey research company in Rockville, Maryland. Thank you for taking the time to participate in this research study.

Westat is working with the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, to develop a survey about who receives meals at the summer programs and how these programs can be improved so more children can take part. It is important to try out the survey questions in advance of the main study, with the help of people such as yourself to ensure that they make sense, are easy to answer, and that everyone understands the questions the same way.

If you agree to take part in this study today, I will ask you to complete sections of the survey and then I will talk with you about how you answered the survey questions. There are no right or wrong answers. Our purpose is not to compile information on you. Instead, your interview along with those of others will show us how to improve the questions.

INFORMED CONSENT

Before we get started, there are a few things I should mention.

• This is a research study, and your participation is voluntary. If you prefer not to answer any questions just say so and we’ll go on to the next one. It’s also okay if you change your mind after starting and would rather not participate.

• All your answers, everything you say, will be kept confidential. We will not use your name or other identifying information in any reports, though we may include quotes you provide in our reports.

• This discussion will take about an hour and you will receive $40 prepaid gift card.

• We will also need to audio record our conversation. This helps me so I can listen to what you are saying and won’t have to take a lot of detailed notes while you are talking. It will also help when we write up a summary of this interview.

• Only project staff will have access to the recording and other project materials. These materials will be destroyed once we have completed the project

HAND CONSENT FORM TO RESPONDENT. This form contains all of the things I just told you about your rights in this interview. Please read it over and let me know if you have any questions. Please sign both copies if you are willing to take part in the study.

HAVE R SIGN TWO CONSENT FORMS, KEEP ONE AND RETURN ONE TO I’ER.

TURN ON RECORDER. The date and time is ____________. Now that the recorder is running, let me ask again, is it okay with you if we record this interview?

INTERVIEWER: Bold red indicates probes you can read aloud. Non-bold red indicates points you may need/want to probe on.

OBSERVE RESPONDENT COMPLETING QUESTIONNAIRE. NOTE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING BEHAVIORS TO PROBE ON RETROSPECTIVELY:

• Any verbal reaction.

• Items where responses are left blank.

• Items where R seems uncomfortable sharing information.

FOR ANY NON-VERBAL REACTIONS, ASK: Tell me what you’re thinking here.

NOTE WHETHER R FOLLOWS ROUTING INSTRUCTIONS.

IF R SELECTS MORE THAN ONE RESPONSE OPTION AT “CHECK ONE ONLY,” ASK FOR THE ONE OPTION THEY WOULD CHOOSE FROM THE LIST.

IF R CHECKS ONLY ONE RESPONSE AT CHECK ALL THAT APPLY CHECK IF ANY OTHER OPTIONS MIGHT BE APPLICABLE.

PROBE ON “OTHER SPECIFY” IF RESPONSE ALREADY LISTED OR DESCRIPTION NOT CLEAR.

NOTE IF R FATIGUES AND CHECKS ONLY THE FIRST ITEMS IN A LONG LIST OR APPEARS TO BE CHECKING FEWER ITEMS IN LONG LISTS AS THE SURVEY PROGRESSES.

SECTION BY SECTION - FOLLOW-UP WITH RETROACTIVE PROBING ON ANY OBSERVATIONS MADE THAT WERE NOT ADDRESSED CONCURRENTLY.

Household Screening Questionnaire (5 mins)

First, I would like you to take a look at this eligibility questionnaire which will be sent to households in advance of receiving the main study questionnaire to see if they qualify to take part in the survey. Please complete this eligibility questionnaire and then I’ll get your reactions to it.

INTERVIEWER: THE SCREENER IS WEB BASED SO NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT RESPONDENT FOLLOWING ROUTING. YOU CAN HELP THE RESPONDENT IF THEY SHOW ANY SIGNS OF BEING CONFUSED BY THE ROUTING.

NOTE IF R READ THE ITALICIZED HOUSEHOLD DEFINITION.

How easy or difficult was it for you to complete this eligibility questionnaire? Why?

Are there any words or phrases that are unclear to you or that you are uncertain about?

(What words or phrases, if any, were unclear to you?)

What did you understand the term “screener” to mean in this context?

How did you decide who to include as members of your household?

Survey cover (5 mins)

HAND SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE TO RESPONDENT.

Please now take a look at the survey cover. Please read the cover and then I’ll get your reactions to it.

What do you think of the survey cover page?

What do you like or not like about it?

What do you think it is trying to tell you?

What stands out to you as being important information and what is not important to you?

Are there any words or phrases that are unclear to you or that you are uncertain about?

(What words or phrases, if any, were unclear to you?)

Is there any information you think is missing from the survey cover page?

Do you think you would take part in this survey? Why?

IF NEEDED:

• What do you think the survey is about?

• Who should take part in the survey?

• Do you have access to a computer in order to take the survey online?

• PROBE ON: layout, color, survey organization, instructions, definitions.

SECTION A: ABOUT THE PROGRAM AT: <SITE NAME> (10 mins)

Now I would like you to complete the first section of the survey, section A. Then I will ask you a few more questions. As you’re filling it out, it would be really helpful if you would say out loud any reactions you have to any of the questions and circle any words or phrases that are confusing or unclear to you. I may also occasionally interrupt you with a question.

R COMPLETES SECTION A

NOTE: IF R READS TELEFORM COMPLETION INSTRUCTIONS AND IF THEY COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIRE ACCORDINGLY.

GENERAL PROBES

How easy or difficult was it for you to answer the questions in section A? Tell me more…

IF NEEDED:

• Where there any questions that were more difficult for you to answer than others? Which ones? Why?

• Were there any words or phrases that you were uncertain about? Which ones? How did this affect your answer?

Was it clear or unclear to you how you should complete the survey from the instructions on page 2 of the questionnaire?

Anything else circled by respondent when answering the questions?

SPECIFIC PROBES

ESTABLISH HOW RESPONDENT REFERS TO THE SUMMER PROGRAM. IF THE SITE NAME USED IS FAMILIAR TO RESPONDENT AND THE NAME THE RESPONDENT USES TO REFER TO THE SUMMER FOOD SITE. How do you refer to the summer program/site?

A3: IF OTHER SPECIFY, ASK: Why would that be a better time for you?

A4: What did you understand the term “program materials” to be referring to?

IF NEEDED: How did you obtain these materials,? When did you obtain these materials?

A4a Using your own words, what is this question asking of you?

IF R ANSWERS “NO” BUT DID NOT FOLLOW UP WITH PROGRAM STAFF:

What information would you have liked the program materials to have contained?

A5 Was it easy or difficult for you to estimate how far <SITE NAME> is from your home?

Are there any other issues you experienced with completing section A that we have not covered?

SECTION B: ABOUT THE CHILDREN (15 mins)

Now please complete section B. Then I will ask you a few more questions. As you complete section B don’t forget to say out loud any reactions you have and circle any words or phrases that are confusing or unclear to you.

R COMPLETES SECTION B

NOTE: IF R HAS ANY DIFFICULTY COMPLETING THE GRID

NOTE: IF R STRUGGLES TO COMPLETE B3 THROUGH B4 INCLUDE. COMPREHENSION OF LAST BIRTHDAY INSTRUCTION.

GENERAL PROBES

How easy or difficult was it for you to answer the questions in section B? Tell me more…

IF NEEDED:

• Were there any questions that were more difficult for you to answer than other

questions? Which ones? Why?

• Were there any words or phrases that you were uncertain about? Which ones? How did this affect your answer?

How did you find completing the grid for the children living in your household?

IF NEEDED: Did you have any difficulty in deciding whether a child should be counted as “now living in your household”?

Anything else circled by respondent when answering the questions?

SPECIFIC PROBES

B2: Are there any answer options missing from the list that better describe where children in your household spend their summer months?

IF RESPONDENT HAS OLDER TEEN LIVING IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD: How easy or difficult was it for you to answer this question about your older children?

B3: What did you understand was the difference in what was being asked at question B3 and questions B3a?

Last birthday instruction: Using your own words can you repeat the instruction after question B3a?

B10: What other summer programs were you thinking of when answering this question?

B10, B10a, B11, B12 (B12 = VIRGINIA ONLY NOT APPLICABLE FOR MD AND DC), IF NEEDED: What made you unsure when you answered this question?

How did you feel when answering this section?

Are there any other issues you experienced with completing section B that we have not covered?

SECTION C: ATTENDANCE AND EXPERIENCE (15 mins)

Now please complete section C.

R COMPLETES SECTION C

GENERAL PROBES

How easy or difficult was it for you to answer the questions in section C? Tell me more…

IF NEEDED: Were there any questions that were more difficult for you to answer than other questions? Which ones? Why?

Were there any words or phrases that you were uncertain about? Which ones? How did this affect your answer?

Anything else circled by respondent when answering the questions?

SPECIFIC PROBES

IF NOT ALREADY COVERED IN SECTION B OR MENTIONED SPONTANEOUSLY BY RESPONDENT: Last birthday instruction: Using your own words can you repeat the instruction after question B3a?

C4. Using you own words, what is this question asking? How confident are you in the answers you gave?

C5: Tell me what you were thinking when you answered this question. Was the respondent thinking about their desire, that of the child, or both?

C5c: Can you repeat this question in your own words? How did you feel when answering this question?

C7: How easy or difficult was it for you to answer this question?

C9. Can you repeat this question using your own words? How did you arrive at your answer?

C9a: In your mind, what is the difference between the appearance of the food and the presentation of the food?

What does “better quality” mean to you?

IF R ANSWERED “MORE INFORMATION ON THE MENU” ASK: What information would you like to see on the menus?

C10, C11, C12, C13

IS R PROVIDING OWN OPINION OR THAT OF CHILD: Does your child have the same view about the food served by the summer meals program? IF NEEDED: To what extent, if any, were you answers influenced by your child’s opinion of the food served by the summer meals program?

IF ANY CODED “GOOD” OR “POOR”: Some of the questions asked you to rate the food served by the program. If the ratings “excellent,” “good” and “poor” had not been available to you, would you have used a different rating at any of these questions? IF NEEDED: What rating would you have used?

C14 & C15: What were your reasons for answering differently/the same at C14 and C15?

C16A: IF ANSWERED: How easy or difficult was it for you to answer this question? Why?

IF NEEDED: Were any of the reasons listed at question 16a confusing to you? Why?

C18. FOLLOW UP ON RESPONSES PROVIDED AT QUESTION C18. IF APPROPRIATE, DISCUSS WHETHER THE RESPONSE(S) COULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED AT ANY PREVIOUS QUESTIONING AND GAUGE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ISSUE TO THE R.

Are there any other issues you experienced with completing section C that we have not covered?

SECTIONS D AND E: NOT TESTED

Overall impressions of the survey questionnaire. (2 mins)

What were your overall impressions of the survey? Explain.

Closing and Incentive (3 mins)

Those are all the questions I have for you. Is there anything we haven't discussed that you would like to mention?

DISCUSS ANY RESPONDENT COMMENTS.

Thank you for your time.

STOP TAPE RECORDER.
GIVE INCENTIVE AND HAVE RESPONDENT SIGN RECEIPT.

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[Before we close, I would like to ask if you would be available for a follow-up interview over the telephone.] The interview would take about an hour and you would receive $20 prepaid gift card as a thank you for your time.

• Yes

• No

#ID___________

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Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 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: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Policy Support, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302 ATTN: PRA (0584-0606). Do not return the completed form to this address.