Sexual Risk Avoidance Education National Evaluation: Formative Evaluation for the Program Components Impact Study

O MB Control No: 0970-0356

Expiration Date: 02/29/2024

Youth Focus Group Protocol

DRAFT

THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995

This collection of information is voluntary and will be used to provide the Administration for Children and Families with information to help refine and guide program development in the area of adolescent pregnancy prevention. Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, 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. The OMB number and expiration date for this collection are OMB #: 0970-0356, Exp: 02/29/2024. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Tiffany Waits at [email protected].

August 2022

Youth Focus Group Protocol

NOTE: This protocol is intended as a guide, not a script. The protocol has been developed to be used with youth participating in Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) programs.

Introduction

Moderator and co-moderator introductions

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. We are from Mathematica, an independent research firm, and we are here to learn about your experiences with [SRAE program name]. My name is [name], and my colleague is [name].

Explanation of project and purpose of group discussion and questionnaire

We are doing a study on classes like [SRAE program name]. During our discussion today, we are interested in learning about your impressions of these classes, the topics covered in class, and your interactions with the program facilitator. We will use the information you share with us to write a summary of what we have learned, but we will not use any of your names, so please feel free to talk openly about your opinions. All information will be kept private to the extent permitted by law.

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. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0356 and the expiration date is 02/29/2024.

Ground rules for discussion

Before we start our discussion, we want to give you some ground rules about how our time together will go:

• Participation in today’s discussion is voluntary. That means you do not have to participate, and you can choose to stop participating at any point.

• Please do not discuss anything we talked about in today’s focus group with anyone outside of this group. Everything we talk about should remain private within this group.

• The discussion will last about 60 minutes.

• There are no right or wrong answers to the questions we will ask. We are interested in learning each of your opinions. We very much appreciate your participation today.

• To keep us on schedule, I may change the subject or move ahead from time to time.

• We will be taking notes and audio recording the session, but everything you say will be kept private and any recordings will be deleted at the end of the study.

• Does anyone have any questions before we begin?

Questions

A. Introductions

1. Many of you may already know each other, but we would like to get to know you. Let’s go around and have everyone share their first name. You do not have to give your name if you do not want to.

B. Program content and satisfaction

Let’s start by talking about your experience with the Love Notes program.

1. How would you describe the Love Notes program to someone your age whom you just met?

2. Tell me about the different types of topics that have been covered during your classes. What are topics that you remember learning about?

1. Thinking about the topics that were discussed in the classes, such as knowing yourself, how to start relationships, attraction, smart or healthy relationships, unhealthy relationships, communicating with friends and partners, intimacy, and others.

1. Were some topics easy to understand? Can you tell me about those topics?

2. Were some topics difficult to understand or confusing? Can you tell me about those topics?

3. What topics were the most interesting?

4. What topics were the least interesting?

3. Tell me your thoughts about how the program facilitator leads these classes and discusses the topics with you.

1. Is the program facilitator of this class able to answer questions from you or other students? How do you feel about the way the teacher answers questions from you or other students?

1. What do you like about how the program facilitator gives the class the information or conducts activities with your class?

2. What do you dislike about how the program facilitator gives your class the information or conducts activities with your class?

C. Overall reaction to co-regulation facilitation strategies

Now, let’s discuss what you learned from participating in these classes.

1. What do you think you’ve learned from these classes about managing your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors?

1. Tell me about whether or not you feel like these classes help you to [ADD SPECIFIC EXAMPLES, such as, understand yourself better, understand what you want for the future, be able to plan or take steps to achieve your goals, know what to do when you feel overwhelmed or upset, avoid sexual risk, know about sexual health and safety]?

2. Do you think this class will affect how you behave or the choices you will make in the future? Why or why not?

3. Do you think the classes have made you think about things differently than you did before the classes? For example, have the classes helped you with any of the following skills: [ADD SPECIFIC EXAMPLES, such as, managing time, improving communication skills, managing emotions, succeeding in school/career, building supportive friendships/romantic relationships]?

D. Satisfaction with program climate

Next, I’d like to discuss your impressions of the class environment. By this, I mean the mood or tone or the way it feels in this class. An example of positive tone is you feel like the classroom is a safe space. An example of negative tone is that you are nervous or anxious to share your opinion during class.

1. Can you describe to me how the mood or tone feels in this class?

1. Does the mood or tone of this class feel similar or different from your other classes. How is the mood or tone similar/different from your other classes?

2. How much do you think the mood in the class depends on the teacher and how they lead the class? Tell me more about that. Can you give me some examples from this class or from your other classes?

3. Tell me about what the program facilitator for Love Notes does to set the mood or tone in this class? For example, can you think of things the program facilitator does to help the class have a positive tone, or things they do that make the class have a negative tone?

Probe with examples, if needed, such as welcoming students by name, knowing students’ interests or activities, setting ground rules, encouraging students to participate and listen to each other, encouraging students to identify and talk about their feelings, providing positive reinforcement.

2. To what extent are students interested and involved during these classes? For example, do students generally participate in class discussions or activities? Why or why not?

1. Do you feel like you personally had opportunities to be involved in class, such as by participating in discussions and activities, if you wanted to? Why or why not?

3. Do you look forward to coming to these classes? Why or why not?

E. Wrap-up questions

Thank you, your feedback has been very helpful. I have two final questions I would like to ask.

1. Is there anything else about [PROGRAM NAME] that you really like that we haven’t talked about today?

2. Is there anything else about [PROGRAM NAME] that you wish you could change that we haven’t talked about today?

Thank you for sharing your opinions and experiences with me today. This has been very helpful. Please contact me directly if there is anything you would like to discuss or if you have any concerns.

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