Video Games and Apps: Focus Groups

Recruitment Screener for Focus Groups on Video Games
Background: As part of Money as You Grow, we maintain Money as You Grow Bookshelf, a series of

guides for parents that accompany popular children’s books. The guides are designed for parents of
young children, because parents and children at this age generally read together. (Money as You Grow
has a philosophy of building on existing family behaviors, rather than attempting to create new
behaviors.) We have received interest from parents and those who work with parents, requesting
similar guides for parents of older children. Because video games are popular among children ages 6 to
12, we started to examine the opportunity to connect video games to the building blocks of financial
capability. We contracted with a vendor to produce a report about video games and apps and their
potential. The report found that video games and apps would be a promising way to help school-age
children acquire the age-appropriate building blocks, and that parents and caregivers can have a role. To
build on this work, feedback from parents is needed to shape our approach to any new materials we
may produce, intending to help parents connect a child’s existing preferences and use of video games
and apps to the building blocks of financial capability.

Parameters:
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Recruitment for two in-person focus groups in each of three locations (six groups total; times
and dates TBD)
Within each of the three locations, the two groups will be segmented by level of participant
video game use:
o Group A will be made up of higher-intensity video game users
o Group B will be made up of lower-intensity video game users
Ten participants per focus group (to ensure at least 8 show for each group)
Each focus group will be 90 minutes long

Recruiting Script
Hello, my name is [first and last name]. May I speak to [candidate]?
I am calling from [marketing company’s name] for ICF. ICF is a research company that is working with a
US government agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB 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 CFPB is interested in learning more about children’s use of video
games, and the ways in which parents might use video game playing to start conversations that might
help children gain money habits and skills.
We are seeking people to participate in focus groups being held on _______. Each group will last 90
minutes.
It is important that you know that we will be recording the interview so that we can be sure to collect
what you say accurately. However, your name will not appear in any reports that ICF writes. Also, just so
you are not surprised, staff from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and ICF will observe your
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interview from another room. You will not have to provide any information that you feel uncomfortable
discussing.
Do you have a few minutes to answer some pre-qualifying questions? (If not, When would be a
convenient time to call back?)
If necessary: We are not selling anything, and we are not looking for information about parenting in
general, we are only looking to find people to participate in a study that the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau is conducting. We respect that parents make their own choices about screen time
and gaming. The purpose of these focus groups is to gather feedback to help us provide more
information or guidance that might help families develop children’s money habits and skills.
Everything you say will be kept private except where required by law. Further, none of your contact
information will be given to ICF or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Before asking any questions, read the brief Privacy Act Statement:
A federal law called the Privacy Act directs how the CFPB collects, keeps, and shares
your personal, private information – including the personal information contained in
your answers to these questions. Your participation is completely voluntary, and is
subject to the privacy policy that can be found on the CFPB’s website,
consumerfinance.gov.

Privacy Act Statement
5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(3)
The information you provide will assist the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (“Bureau”)
gather data to learn about how video games and applications could serve as potential facilitators
of or barriers to the development of the building blocks of financial capability for children.
Participation in this interview will provide us information that will inform the development of a
research plan, centered on focus groups with parents.
If you choose to participate, the Bureau will obtain basic contact information such as your name,
email address, and telephone number to contact you.
Information collected will be treated in accordance with the System of Records Notice
(“SORN”), CFPB.021 – CFPB Consumer Education and Engagement Records, 83 F.R. 23435.
Although the Bureau does not anticipate further disclosing the information provided, it may be
disclosed as indicated in the Routine Uses described in the SORN. Direct identifying information
will only be used to facilitate the interview and will be kept private except as required by law.
This collection of information is authorized by Pub. L. No. 111-203, Title X, Sections 1013 and
1022, codified at 12 U.S.C. §§ 5493 and 5512.
Participation is voluntary.
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Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and
not withstanding any other provision of law a person is not required to respond to a collection of
information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this
collection is 3170-0024. It expires on 05/31/2022. The time required to complete this
information collection is estimated to average approximately 15 minutes per response.
Comments regarding this collection of information, including the estimated response time,
suggestions for improving the usefulness of the information, or suggestions for reducing the
burden to respond to this collection should be submitted to the Bureau of Consumer Financial
Protection (Attention: PRA Office), 1700 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552, or by email to
[email protected].

1. Are you the parent or guardian of a child aged 6 to 12?
a. Yes
b. No  Thank respondent politely and end call.
2. What is the age and gender of all of your children aged 6 to 12? __________
NOTE: If the respondent has multiple children, answer questions 3, 4, and 5 based on a specific
child that is aged 6 to 12. Note in Question 2 which child these answers are based on, and use
this age for the quota in Question 13.
3. Has your child played a game on a mobile device (i.e., phone or tablet), computer, or console
systems (i.e., PlayStation, Xbox, etc.) at least three times in the past week?
a. Yes
b. No  Thank respondent politely and end call.
4. How long would you estimate your child spends playing games on mobile devices, computers, or
console systems in an average day?
a. Less than 15 minutes
b. 15 minutes to 1 hour
c. 1 to 2 hours
d. More than 2 hours
5. Which of the following has your child used to play games in the past week? Check all that apply.
a. Mobile phone
b. Tablet
c. Computer (i.e., PC)
d. Console system (e.g., Xbox, Playstation, Wii)

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6. Have you played a game on a mobile device (i.e., phone or tablet), computer, or console system
(i.e., PlayStation, Xbox, etc.) in the past week?
a. Yes
b. No  SKIP to Question 10
7. Would you consider yourself to be a “casual” video game player, a “serious” video game player,
or somewhere between a casual and serious video game player?
a. Casual player
b. Serious player
c. Somewhere between a casual and a serious player
8. When you do play video games, for how long do you typically play consecutively at a time?
a. Less than 30 minutes
b. 30 minutes to an hour
c. More than an hour
9. Which of the following have you used to play games in the past month? Check all that apply.
a. Mobile phone
b. Tablet
c. Computer (i.e., PC)
d. Console system (e.g., Xbox, Playstation, Wii)
Participant can qualify for Group B (high-intensity video game user) if Q7=b OR Q8=b or c OR Q9d=Yes.
If none of these are true, then participant can qualify for Group A.
Recruiting Requirements for Each Focus
Group

Screening Criteria
10. What is your age?

• At least 3 recruits should answer (a)
• At least 3 recruits should answer (b)

a) 35 and under
b) 36 and above
11. What is your Ethnicity?
—Hispanic or Latino
—Not Hispanic or Latino
12. What is yout race? You can select more than one, if
applicable.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

White
Black or African-American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
American Indian or Alaska Native

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• No more than 7 recruits in any one
category

Recruiting Requirements for Each Focus
Group

Screening Criteria
13. What is the highest level that you reached in school?
a) High school degree or less
b) Some college work
c) College graduate
14.

• No requirements for group composition
• At least 4 recruits in each group should
answer (a)
• At least 4 recruits in each group should
answer (b)

Age of child
a) 6 to 8
b) 9 to 12

15. How would you rate your own skills in managing
money?
1) = I don’t manage my money; someone else does.
2) = I am not the best at managing my money.
3) = I am okay at managing my money.
4) = I am good at managing my money.
5) = I am excellent at managing my money.

• No more than 7 recruits who answered (5)

16. Gender of parent/guardian

• At least 3 recruits of each gender

If participant qualifies: Based on your responses, we would like to invite you to participate in a focus
group, which will be held at [facility name and address]. The focus group will last about 90 minutes.
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 interview. Regardless of
whether or not they are willing to participate, thank them before ending the call.

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