Sleep Warnings- CPSC Message Frame Testing Focus Groups

OMB No.
Exp. Date

CPSC Sleep Warnings: Message Idea Testing Focus Group Discussion Guide
Objective: To conduct focus groups with parents and grandparents to determine which
message idea(s) is/are most effective at increasing adherence to infant sleep product
warning labels. Findings will support the refinement and enhancement of warning label copy
that will ultimately be tested in a copy testing survey. Results of these phases of research
will ultimately help CPSC effectively convey critical information about product warnings.
NOTES TO REVIEWER:
This discussion guide is not a script and therefore will not be read verbatim. The moderator will use these
questions as a roadmap and probe as needed to maintain the natural flow of conversation. Question
probes are italicized.
Moderator instructions are highlighted in yellow. Materials are highlighted in green.

Session Overview: Total time—90 minutes
SECTION I: Introduction and Icebreaker (3.5 min.)
The interviewer will explain the purpose of the focus group, present the ground rules, and allow participants
to ask any questions.
SECTION II: Infant Sleep Safety: Baseline Knowledge and Awareness (8 min)
Moderator asks participants questions to get a sense of their baseline awareness, knowledge, attitudes and
beliefs about infant sleep safety and associated warning labels.
SECTION III: Message Idea Testing (50 min.)
Moderator presents ideas to participants in a randomized order and facilitates discussion around initial
reactions, message idea comprehension, relatability, memorability, and intentions.
SECTION IV: Message Idea Comparison (10 min.)
Moderator asks participants questions to help them determine which of the ideas they perceive to be most
effective.
SECTION V: Imagery Activity (15 min.)
Moderator asks participants to complete an activity in which they will select a warning label idea and write
down any words or phrases they think best fit within this idea, as well as depict any imagery they associate
with it.
SECTION V: Closing (3.5 min.)
Moderator ensures that all questions are answered, and all comments have been heard.

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Section I: Introduction and Icebreaker (3.5 min.)
Thank you so much for coming today. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. My name
is _______, and I’ll be moderating this group. I work for a company called Fors Marsh Group,
which is a private research company based in Arlington, VA.
I am conducting this group on behalf of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, but I
do not work for them, so I have no stake in how you respond.
The purpose of this group is to get your feedback on some potential messaging strategies for
sleep product warning labels.
Before we get started, I would like to review a few ground rules:
•

There are no wrong answers. Our whole purpose for being here is to hear what you
honestly think, so please speak up, especially if what you have to say is different than
what someone else is saying. You may represent what a lot of other people who aren’t
here think.

•

We are not here to come to agreement, and we recognize that you all may have
different perspectives on the issues we discuss. And that’s OK! Please keep an open
mind as we talk today and respect each other’s opinions.

•

We are audio and video recording this discussion, that way, I don’t have to worry about
writing everything down. These audio recordings will be used to create transcriptions
of the focus group to be analyzed for our report; however, we will not be including any
names or other identifying information in the transcripts and the recordings will be
deleted once the transcripts are created.

•

Everything we talk about here is confidential; your individual responses will not be
linked back to you in any way and your name will not be associated with anything you
say in our reports. On that note, we ask that you (1) only use your first names during
the group today and (2) not discuss anything we talk about today outside of this room.
Does anyone have any questions?

•

Your participation is voluntary. This means that you do not have to answer a question
if you do not wish to and that you may stop participating at any time. Also, you do not
have to disclose any information that you are uncomfortable sharing. If someone
shares something personal or an opinion that you disagree with, we ask that you
please remain respectful of one another, even when voicing your own differing

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opinions. At the end of today’s session, we will provide some resources to you for your
own information.
Now, I’d like to kick us off with some introductions. Let’s go around the room and each person
share your name and your favorite thing to do with your [child/grandchild].

Section II: Infant Sleep Safety: Baseline Knowledge and Awareness (8 min.)
As I mentioned, today we are going to talk about infant sleep safety warnings. To kick off our
discussion, I’d like to do a couple of exercises with you all.
•

What comes to mind when I say, “infant sleep products”?
o What infant sleep products do you typically use for your infants?
 During naps? At nighttime?

•

What comes to mind when I say, “infant sleep safety”?
o What guidelines or recommendations are you aware of?
o Where have you heard about these?

•

What comes to mind when I ask you to think of warning labels related to infant
sleep products?
o What warning labels are you aware of? What is included in them?
o Where do you typically see warning labels?
o Which parts of warning labels do you think are most effective?
 Which instructions do you typically follow in the warning labels?
o Are there warning labels you don’t believe?

Great, thanks for all your input. This leads us into what the major part of our day today is going
to be about—assessing strategies for the best ways to develop warning labels. For the
purposes of today’s discussion, I’m going to show you a few examples of warning labels that
might be seen on or attached to an infant sleep product. This way we will all be on the same
page moving forward. [Moderator passes around printouts of warning labels.] So for the
purposes of today’s discussion, when I say warning label, this is what I am generally referring
to. Please take a minute to look these over, and then pass them back this way to me.

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Section III: Message Idea Testing (50 min.)
So today, we are here to test out some different ways that infant sleep product warning labels
may be developed in the future.
I am going to show you written descriptions of a few different ideas (or, communication
approaches) and ask for your feedback to determine which you feel would be the best starting
place for developing a warning label. Please keep in mind that what I am going to show you
are merely written descriptions of messaging strategies/approaches and don’t represent the
actual words that you might see on a warning label. Think of this as the big idea behind the
warning label. With that in mind, we ask that you try to provide us feedback on the concepts
overall and not get too bogged down evaluating specific words or small details.
Please flip over the other stack of documents in front of you. The document on top of the
stacks says, “Ideas for How to Develop Warning Labels.” Under it, there are [x] different ideas.
For each idea, we will read it together and then I want you to take a few minutes to
complete the [ c o l o r ] Rating Worksheet [Moderator holds up worksheet]. Each worksheet
has the following questions:
•

For #1, grade the idea. Just like in school, “A” means awesome, you really like
the i d e a and “F” means it failed, you didn’t like the idea at all.

•

For #2, select how the idea made you feel. If there is something missing from the
list, you have the space to write it in.

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•

For #3, answer a few questions to tell us about your reactions to the idea. Just
check the box that answers how much you agree or disagree with each
statement.

After you finish the worksheet, we will discuss your reactions to the idea as a group. Later,
after we have seen all the ideas, we will then compare them to each other.
[The moderator will introduce the first idea and allow time for participants to complete
the Rating Worksheet, at least a couple of minutes. The moderator will then lead a group
discussion about the idea].

Initial Reactions

Main Point/Take Away

Relatable

•

What are your initial thoughts about this idea?

•

What did you like about this?

•

What did you dislike about this?

•

What is this idea trying to say?

•

To what extent does this idea match your existing knowledge
about infant sleep safety?

•

What, if anything, is confusing or unclear about the idea?

•

How relevant does this idea feel to you?

•

What would you change to make this feel more relevant to
you?

•

How true or believable is this idea? What are some reasons
you feel that way?


Believable/Compelling

•

•
Grab Attention/Memorable

What, if anything, would you change or add to make
it more believable?

How compelling is this idea?


What are some reasons you feel that way?



What, if anything, would you change or add to make
this idea more compelling?

How likely is it that this idea would grab your attention? How
so?


How easy would it be for you to not pay attention to
this idea?

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•

How likely would you be to remember this idea?


Segment-Specific Probes

What about it would stick with you?

Parents:
• For those who have other children—how do your past
experiences influence your thoughts on this idea?
•

Are there any elements of this idea that are new or
surprising?

Grandparents:
• What elements of this idea are familiar to you? In what
way?
•

How similar or different are elements of this idea to
messages you heard when you were a new parent?

•

Would this idea make you more or less likely to follow the
instructions on the warning label?

•

How much, if at all, did this idea change the way you think
about sleep safety?

•

How much, if at all, did this idea make you want to learn
more about infant sleep safety guidelines?

Intentions

 Where would you go to look for more information?
•

•

Idea-Specific Probes

How likely would you be to share this idea with others?


How would you share it?



What would you share?

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Section IV: Comparison of Ideas (10 min)
Now, I’d like for us to compare the different ideas that we walked through together and
would like you to complete this [color] Ranking Worksheet [holds up worksheet].
•
•
•

The first question asks which idea was your favorite.
The second asks which would stick with you the most, even if it is not your
favorite.
The third question asks which idea would make you most likely to follow the
instructions on a warning label.

[Review Responses] Who would like to share which idea they selected for…?
Outside of the ideas we shared, are there other ways that you think warning labels could be
developed that could motivate people like you to pay more attention to them and follow the
instructions on them?

Section V: Imagery Activity (15 min.)
As you may have guessed from the ideas that we just walked through, our goal is to
understand how to better develop and present sleep product warning labels.
I’d like your input on how you envision these ideas coming to life. To help us out, I have a
worksheet I would like you to complete. I’d like you to imagine that we are going to be
developing a new warning label to place on an infant sleep product, for the sake of
consistency, let’s say a [product].
•

•

•

•

In the Box #1, please write the letter that you wrote as your answer to number 3 on the
Ranking Worksheet you just completed. This is the letter of the idea that would make
you most likely to follow the instructions on a warning label).
In Box #2, please write down any words/phrases you think would fit well with this
message idea. If you were creating a warning label based on this idea, what words or
phrases would be on it? What introduction sentence would really grab your attention?
In Box #3, please write where you think this should be placed on the [product] (e.g., if
this idea was eventually used to develop a warning label, where should the warning
label go?)
In Box #4, I’d like you to write down any colors you think should be included in the
label, and write or draw any images or visuals that you think should be included to help
convey the message.

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Section VI: Closing (5 min.)
[TIME PERMITTING: MODERATOR FALSE CLOSE] I appreciate your feedback. Before we wrap
up, I am going to consult with my colleagues to see if there is anything I missed to ask or if
there are any follow-up questions. [ASK ANY ADDITIONAL PROBES]
[THANK AND CLOSE] Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today and participate in
this focus group.
Do you have any questions for me or is there anything that you would like to share that you
didn’t have the chance to share yet?
Before you go, we have a couple resources here about infant sleep safety if you are interested
in learning more.
Thank you again for your participation. Enjoy the remainder of your day.

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Appendix A: Messaging Ideas
Negative Consequences
1. Death (/serious injury/suffocation/strangulation) to your child can occur if you do not
follow all of the instructions on the warning label.

2. X number of children have died (/suffered from serious injury
/strangulation/suffocation) as the result of not following all of the instructions on the
warning label.

Positive Consequences
3. Keep your child safe. Follow all of the instructions on the warning label.

Self-Efficacy
4. You can protect your child by following all of the instructions on the warning label
every time you use the product.

Social Norms
5. Responsible parents like you follow all of the instructions on the warning label to
keep their child safe.