SAMHSA PSA Recovery Attachment A - Focus Group Protocol

Attachment A

Focus Group Protocol

OMB No. 0990–0459

Expiration Date: 8/31/2023

Recovery Month Campaign Concept Testing – Office of Communications Recovery Month Health Promotion Campaign: Young Adult Focus Group Protocol

DESCRIPTION

Young adults between the ages of 18-29, will participate in four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to pretest campaign concepts and pieces that show how those young adults can live their lives in recovery and showcase individual experiences while linking those in need to potential resources. To that end, the campaign materials will: spread awareness about recovery from substance use in young adults, and spark conversation around the subject of substance addiction and recovery, with the hope of destigmatizing recovery experiences and care-seeking.

The concept testing will determine if the campaign 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 young adults may face.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Young adults between the ages of 18 to 29 who are sober or who are in active recovery.

1. GOAL

To pretest a campaign concept developed to increase awareness around recovery from substance use for young adults, ages 18-29. The campaign serves to connect young adults to evidence-based SAMHSA resources related to recovery and promote conversation around recovery from substance use.

2. OBJECTIVES

Conduct four FGDs with racial and ethnic diverse groups of young adults, to:

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

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

3. METHODOLOGY

• Twenty-four recruited and screened individuals, divided into four groups of up to eight participants each, will participate in approximately 90-minute FGD sessions.

• Participants between the ages of 18-29 will review the campaign concepts including creative design elements, taglines, names, and key messages and images to assess the campaign’s effectiveness in increasing conversations about recovery from substance use and reducing the stigma around it.

• FGDs will take place virtually with a 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 $60 e-gift card for their participation.

• Each focus group will last approximately 90 minutes (about 1 hour and 30 minutes), and all sessions will be digitally recorded 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	March 15, 2022 – March 25, 2022 March 25, 2022
Submit OMB package for approval	Final OMB package submitted to SAMHSA SAMHSA submits OMB package to HHS OMB receives approval	April 1, 2022 April 6, 2022 April 16, 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)	April 2022 April 2022 April 2022 May 2022 Late May/Early June 2022 Late May/Early June 2022
Present Topline Report(s)/Highlights	Synergy presents topline highlights to SAMHSA	June 2022

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