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

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

Appendix H9. Child Participant Survey Pretest Protocol

(PROTOCOL WILL NEED ADAPTION IF INTERVIEW IS CARRIED OUT ONSITE.)

ESTABLISH IF SITE SERVES LUNCH OR SUPPER. SITES CANNOT SERVE BOTH. ADAPT QUESTIONS ACCORDINGLY BY ENTERING INFORMATION AT FILL..

INTERVIEWER NOTES:

THE INTERVIEW SHOULD TAKE 30 MINUTES.

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

PARENTAL CONSENT FOR CHILD TO BE INTERVIEWED AND RECORDED SHOULD BE OBTAINED BEFORE CHILD INTERVIEW BEGINS. PARENT MAY ACCOMPANY CHILD DURING THE INTERVIEW. IF CHILD AGED 5 OR 6, PARENT CAN ASSIST CHILD IN ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS. ATTEMPT TO GET CHILDREN AGED 7 OR OVER TO COMPLETE THE QUESTIONAIRE WITHOUT PARENTAL SUPPORT INITIALLY.

ASK PARENT OF CHILD (5-12) IF THEY WOULD LIKE YOU GIE THE INCENTIVE TO THE CHILD DIRECTLY OR GIVE IT TO THE PARENT ON THEIR BEHALF.

IF “NO” TO INTERVIEW AT ANY POINT DURING CONSENT PROCESS, ASK: Is there anything you are worried about? Are there any questions you would like to ask me? REASSURE CHILD, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, DISCUSS WITH PARENT TO ESTABLISH ANY CONCERNS. IF NECESSARY TERMINATE INTERVIEW: You don’t have to talk to me today if you don’t want to. That’s okay.

IF “NO” TO RECORDING ONLY - CONTINUE, BUT DO NOT RECORD THE INTERVIEW.

PROBING IS CONCURRENT. YOU MAY NEED TO ADAPT YOUR PROBING TO REFLECT THE AGE OR COGNITIVE ABILITY OF THE CHILD. SOME ALTERNATIVE AGE APPRORIATE CHOICES FOR PROBING ARE PROVIDED BELOW.

YOU MAY NEED TO ADMINISTER THE QUESTION AND READ IT TO THE CHILD IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO READ IT.

NOTE ANY VERBAL OR NONVERBAL REACTION WHEN CHILD COMPLETES EACH QUESTION. FOR ANY NON-VERBAL REACTIONS, MENTION THE REACTION OR ASK: What are you thinking?

NOTE ANY ISSUES WITH READING, COMPREHENSION OR ABILITY TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE, AS WELL AS HOW THE CHILD NAVIGATES AND COMPLETES THE QUESTIONNAIRE.

SUGGESTED GENERAL PROBES:

• Don’t forget to read the question out loud.

• Tell me what you are thinking…

• What were you thinking when you answered that question?

• Can you tell me a bit more about that?

• Was that easy or hard for you?

ADMINISTER CHILD ASSENT, THEN:

Before we start, I need to turn on the recorder.

Now we can look at the questions that are writtten on this piece of paper. [IF AGE 7 +: Try to answer each question by yourself one question at a time. IF AGE 5 OR 6: Try to answer each question. Mom/Dad/caregiver can help you if you if you have trouble with some of the words.] After you have answered each question I will then ask you about your answer. This is not a test. There are no right or wrong answers. It is what you are thinking when you answer each question that matters to me.

OK, let’s start with the first question. {Try to} read the question out loud for me and tell me your answer as you write it on the paper.

IF CHILD HAS PROBLEMS READING QUESTIONS OR UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTIONS YOU CAN BRING IN THE PARENT/CAREGIVER TO ASSIST.

Q1. How old are you? ______________ Years

DO NOT PROBE UNLESS CHILD GIVES DIFFERENT ANSWER FROM THAT PROVIDED DURING SCREENING. TRY AND ESTABLISH REASON FOR DISCREPANCY: IF NEEDED: When is your birthday? How old will you be on your next birthday? Are you sure?

Notes and observations, including: Did R write in their age correctly on the line provided?

Q2. What grade will you go to when school begins this fall?

Was that question easy or hard for you to answer? Why?

IF NEEDED:

Using your own words, what do you think the question was asking?

What grade were you when school closed for summer?

Notes and observations: What difficulties did R have with this question? Did R write their grade correctly on the line provided?

Q3. Are you a boy or a girl?

DO NOT PROBE

Notes and observations, including: Did R select the correct box? How did R select box - tick, cross, shade in or something else?

Q4. Did you eat breakfast at <SITE NAME>?

Yes  the foods served at breakfast are:

Delicious

Okay

Terrible

No

Was that question easy or hard for you to answer? Why?

Have you heard of <SITE NAME> before?

Do you remember which breakfast or breakfasts you were thinking about (when you answered the question) – was it one breakfast or all of them?

IF NEEDED:

What do you call it?

Do you eat your breakfast there? When did you last eat your breakfast there?

How often do you go to <NAME>?

What do you think of the breakfast you have there?

What made you choose <answer>?

Do you know this word [point]? The word “delicious” – what does that mean when something is delicious? What about “Okay” – what does that mean if you say the food is Okay? Terrible?

ASK FOR EXAMPLES OF THE BREAKFAST FOOD R THINKS IS DELICIOUS ETC.

Notes and observations, including: Ease with which R selected the correct response box. Coping with two questions in one. How easy or difficult was it for the R to comprehend the routing requirements for this question? Did R answer in general or was R thinking of the last time they had breakfast at the site?

Q5. Did you eat {lunch/supper} at <SITE NAME>?

Yes  the foods served at lunch/supper are:

Delicious

Okay

Terrible

No

Was that question easy or hard for you to answer? Why?

What made you choose <answer>? ASK FOR EXAMPLES OF LUNCH/SUPPER R THINKS IS DELICIOUS ETC.

Do you remember which lunch/supper you were thinking about (when you answered the question) – was it one or all of them?

Notes and observations, including: Ease with which R selected the correct response box. Coping with two questions in one. How easy or difficult was it for the R to comprehend the routing requirements for this question? Did R answer in general or were they thinking of the last time they had lunch/supper at the site?

Q6. Did you eat snacks at <SITE NAME>?

Yes  the foods served at snacks are:

Delicious

Okay

Terrible

No

Was that question easy or hard for you to answer? Why?

IF NEEDED:

What is a snack?

What kinds of snacks do you eat at <name>? ASK FOR EXAMPLES OF SNACKS R THINKS ARE DELICIOUS ETC. Can you think of some examples of snacks you have had at <name>?

Notes and observations, including: Ease with which R selected the correct response box. Coping with two questions in one. How easy or difficult was it for the R to comprehend the routing requirements for this question? Did R answer in general or were they thinking of the last time they had a snack at the site?

Q7. Tell us what you think about the foods you ate at the program at <SITE NAME> this summer.

	Most of the time	Some of the time	Hardly ever
There were many food choices on the daily menu
The food tasted good
The food looked fresh
The food smelled good
I enjoyed eating meals here
I felt full after eating the meals here

Were these questions easy or hard for you to answer? Why?

IF NEEDED:

Did you have any trouble picking your answer choice(s)?

PROBE:

Lets take a look at these yellow faces. What do you think of the faces? What does <each face> make you think about? Is this face happy or sad? Why is this face {happy/sad}?

To you, how often is {“Most of the time”/“Some of the time”/“Hardly ever”}?

What is good about the food at <name>? What is bad about the food at <name>? OR What makes you <smile> about the food and what makes you <sad>? (If R has used different words to describe faces use R own words)

OK, let’s look at the first thing on the list here. Did this question make sense to you or not?

What kinds of food choices you get at <name>? What does “daily menu” mean to you?

What does it mean that the “food looks fresh”? (point on questionnaire to the phrase)

What about “felt full” – what does that mean?

Why did you enjoy/not enjoy the meals?

Notes and observations, including: Navigating the grid. Smiley faces - a help or a hindrance? If young children use the smiley faces as descriptors instead of the words associated with them. Any words that R does not understand? Any recall issues?

Q8. I liked eating meals served at <SITE NAME> because …

The food was good

I was hungry

I got to eat with my friends

I got to try different foods

My parents think the food is healthy

I think the food is healthy

It is easy to get there

Other

Was that question easy or hard for you to answer? Why?

IF NEEDED:

Did you have any trouble picking your answer choice(s)?

Did you like eating the meals at <name>?

PROBE FOR DETAIL ON RESPONSES SELECTED:

“I got to try different foods” - What different foods have you tried at <name>?

“Easy to get there” - How do you get to <name>?

“I think the food is healthy” - Give me some examples of food that you eat at <name> that is “healthy”

“Other”: Probe

PROBE:

Not answered “I think the food is healthy” – Give me some examples of food that you think is healthy food.

“My parents think the food is healthy” – Have your parents told you that they think the food is healthy? How do you know what they think about the food?

Notes and observations, including: What happens if child answered “hardly ever” to previous question. Does child really think what they answer or are they being led?

OTHER ISSUES

Is there anything else you would like to tell me about the food you eat at <name>?

Why do you think we are asking these questions of children like you?

Using one word, how would you describe the way this <questionnaire> looks? Why do you say that?

Notes and observations, including: Did R attempt to read any of the information provided at the bottom of the page in the burden box? How did R check their answers, tick, cross, shade in or something else?

Closing and Incentive

Thank you. You did great today. Good job.

STOP TAPE RECORDER.

GIVE INCENTIVE TO CHILD/PARENT/CAREGIVER AS PREVIOUSLY AGREED WITH PARENT/CAREGIVER.

HAVE PARENT/CAREGIVER SIGN RECEIPT FOR CHILD’S INCENTIVE.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 35 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.