2021 OMB Package_UAD TTHY_Focus Groups Protocol_Attachment A

Attachment A

Focus Group Protocol

OMB No. 0990–0459

Expiration Date: 8/31/2023

UAD/TTHY PSA Concept Testing – Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Underage Drinking and Other Drug/Substance Use Prevention: Parent/Caregiver Focus Group Protocol

DESCRIPTION

Parents and caregivers will participate in three Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to pretest a public service announcement (PSA) concept aiming to reach parents and caregivers of children under the age of 21 to increase conversations about underage drinking and other drug/substance use prevention. To that end the PSA concept will: spread awareness about underage drinking and other drug/substance use; bring the topics of underage drinking and other drug/substance use prevention into community conversations; provide parents and caregivers with ideas for how to have these important conversations with their children; and encourage parents and caregivers to reach out to members of their community (however it’s defined) to help them talk to their children about the dangers of underage drinking and other drug/substance use.

The concept testing will determine if the PSA concept is resonating with the target population in terms of relevance, comprehension, memorability, identification, and appeal. The focus groups will also explore questions, topics, and issues that parents want to know about underage drinking and other drug/substance use prevention.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Parents/caregivers of children under the age of 21

1. GOAL

Pretest a PSA concept developed to increase conversations among parents/caregivers and children under 21 to prevent underage drinking and other drug/substance use. The PSA also aims to encourage parents and caregivers to reach out to members of their community (however it’s defined) to help them talk to their children about the dangers of underage drinking and other drug/substance use.

2. OBJECTIVES

Conduct three FGDs with racial and ethnic diverse groups of parents and caregivers, to:

• Explore opinions, suggestions, and concerns of the target audiences (TAs) about the proposed PSA concept and provide recommendations to make it more relevant.

• Obtain participant reactions to the specific proposal, and gauge ideas to make the concept more relevant, identifiable, understandable, memorable, and appealing.

3. METHODOLOGY

• Twenty-four screened and recruited individuals, divided into three groups of 8 participants each, will participate in approximately 100-minute FGD sessions.

• Participants that include parents and caregivers of children under age 21 will review the PSA concept presented through the use of a script, storyboard, and animation, to assess the message’s effectivity in increasing parent/caregiver-to-child conversations about underage drinking and other drug/substance use prevention.

• FGDs will take place virtually with regional balance from across the U.S.

• Screener and recruitment questionnaires (Attachment B) will be provided to the market research firm vendor to guarantee the desired composition of each group.

• FGDs will be conducted preferably after work hours, based on potential participants’ availability.

• The FGD sessions will be facilitated by a skilled moderator.

• Before the FGD session, participants will complete a release/consent form for use of the information provided (see Attachment C).

• An approved FGD guide (see Attachment D) will be used to facilitate all groups.

• After concluding the FGD sessions, each participant will receive a $80 e-gift card for their participation.

• Each focus group will last approximately 100 minutes (about 1 hour and 40 minutes), and all sessions will be digitally recorded in order to reconstruct conversations and capture all ideas.

• For each group, a note taker will record salient points throughout the session.

• Recordings and notes will be listened to and reviewed after each session to create “extended notes.”

• After each session, a top-line report of findings will be drafted and sent to SAMHSA for review.

• Information obtained during the FGDs will be coded and analyzed.

• A FGD findings report will be developed and submitted.

4. TIMETABLE

TASK	ACTIVITY	DATE
Design OMB package	Synergy develops first draft of the focus group plan, including protocol and data collection instruments Circulate draft for internal feedback and comments	November 15, 2021 -November 19, 2021 November 22, 2021
Submit OMB package for approval	Final OMB package submitted to SAMHSA SAMHSA submits OMB package to HHS OMB receives approval	November 23, 2021 December 1, 2021 January 3, 2022
Conduct FGDs	Synergy identifies and hires market research firm vendor Vendor conducts screening of potential focus group participants Vendor recruits focus group participants Vendor and Synergy conduct FGD dry run with SAMHSA (via Zoom or phone) Vendor conducts focus groups Vendor produces top-line report(s)	November 2021 December 2021 December 2021 January 2022 Late January/Early February 2022 Late January/Early February 2022
Present Topline Report(s)/Highlights	Synergy presents topline highlights to SAMHSA	February 2022

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