Examining Equity of the Administration for Children and Families' Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) Client Surveys

Instrument 5:

Responsible Fatherhood Community Fathers Focus Group and Interview Protocol

Responsible Fatherhood Focus Group or Introduction

The session will be a facilitated discussion about surveys that are completed by Responsible Fatherhood program clients, such as whether and how relevant the questions are to participants’ lives and whether the questions are respectful of different life experiences, cultures, values, and beliefs. Illustrative probes are included before the survey questions to encourage this discussion, but moderators may adjust probes depending on timing and relevance.

Check in participants

1. RECORD ATTENDANCE IN A STAND-ALONE FILE THAT CAN BE DELETED/SHREDDED

2. ASK IF THEY HAVE THEIR SURVEY PACKET NEAR BY

3. ONCE EVERYONE HAS ARRIVED, START THE INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Thanks for helping us today! My name is [NAME], and this is my colleague, [NAME]. We work for a research company called Mathematica. Mathematica was contracted by the Administration for Children and Families (or ACF), which is part of the federal government. ACF works with community organizations to strengthen families through programs such as [PROGRAM NAME].

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 #:0970-0630, Exp: 3/31/2027.

We’re here today because we want to get your feedback and thoughts about the surveys that clients in Responsible Fatherhood programs take at the beginning and end of workshops and how to improve them. We want to know how well the questions in these surveys reflect the experiences, values, and beliefs of people from different races, ethnicities, backgrounds, and cultures. You can help us make sure the survey questions are clear and relevant and are not missing any important topics.

Although we don’t expect you to speak for everyone, we consider each of you an expert in how well our survey questions work for people with similar life experiences, and really appreciate your feedback.

[SPANISH-SPEAKING GROUP: We are also interested in your thoughts on the Spanish translation. During our discussion, please tell us anything that you think could be improved.]

For your reference, we’ve compiled the selected questions into one survey packet. This includes a few questions from surveys you took at the beginning of the program and the survey you just completed at the last program workshop. If you completed the surveys on a computer, you might not have been asked all these questions because the surveys are programmed to skip questions that do not apply to your situation, based on your answers to earlier questions. Our discussion will take about an hour today.

Informed consent information [if consent has not already been collected]

Before we get started, I’d like to be sure you are aware of a few things.

• [IF SITE USING HARD COPY CONSENT FORMS]: Please open your survey packet and take out the top form. This is the consent form. Please take a moment to read through it right now. I will then cover the key points.

• [IF SITE USING ELECTRONIC CONSENT FORMS]: Please use your phone to scan the QR code showing on the screen right now. This is the consent form. Please take a moment to read through it right now. I will then cover the key points.

• First, your participation today is completely voluntary. That means you can decide if you want to participate, and can stop participating at any time without any reason or consequence.

• During the discussion, you can decide not to answer any questions that I ask the group.

• Your responses will not be used in a way that allows anyone outside the research team to identify you.

• We ask that everyone in this group respect each other’s privacy by NOT talking about the details of our discussion with anyone outside the group. However, we want everyone to understand that because this is a group discussion, we cannot guarantee your privacy of what you say in front of each other.

• When we share what we learned during today’s discussion we will NOT use your name or any other information that could identify you. We will only share information about you if required by law—that means that if we learn that you have been hurt or are in danger or if you tell us that you plan to seriously hurt yourself or someone else, then, by law, we must report it to the appropriate legal authorities.

• We will record the group discussion and take notes as a back-up. This is to help us remember all of your thoughts and ideas when we make improvements to the survey questions. We will not share this recording with anyone outside of our study team and will destroy it once the study is finished.

Does anyone have any questions at this point?

• Please sign the consent form and [IF HARD COPY: (NAME) will come by and pick them up and mail them back to us/IF ELECTRONIC: Please sign it electronically and then press submit so that we receive it.]

Assent information [if consent was already collected]

Before we get started, I’d like to be sure you are aware of a few things.

• First, your participation today is completely voluntary. That means you can decide if you want to participate, and can stop participating at any time without any reason or consequence.

• During the discussion, you can decide not to answer any questions that I ask the group.

• Your responses will not be used in a way that allows anyone outside the research team to identify you. We ask that everyone in this group respect each other’s privacy by NOT talking about the details of our discussion with anyone outside the group. However, we want everyone to understand that because this is a group discussion, we cannot guarantee your privacy of what you say in front of each other.

• When we share what we learned during today’s discussion we will NOT use your name or any other information that could identify you. We will only share information about you if required by law—that means that if we learn that you have been hurt or are in danger or if you tell us that you plan to seriously hurt yourself or someone else, then, by law, we must report it to the appropriate legal authorities.

• As we described in the consent form you signed, we will record the group discussion and take notes as a back-up. This is to help us remember all of your thoughts and ideas when we make improvements to the survey questions. We will not share this recording with anyone outside of our study team and will destroy it once the study is finished.

Does anyone have any questions at this point?

Demographic survey questions [if not previously administered]

Next, we would like to ask that you please complete a very short set of questions that ask about your basic demographics. These questions are very important for us to help us make sure that we are collecting information that represents the wide diversity of people who participate in these kinds of workshops. [IF HARD COPY: Please remove the second sheet from your survey packet, called Demographic Questions/[IF ELECTRONIC: Please scan this QR code to pull up the Demographic Questions. Please take a moment to complete these questions.

Thank you. [IF HARD COPY: (NAME will come by and pick them up and mail them back to us/IF ELECTRONIC: Please hit the submit button so that we receive it.]

Focus group guidelines [focus group only]

1. START WITH INTRODUCTIONS. Before we start our discussion, let’s go around and do some quick introductions. Tell us your first name and if you would like, you can add your pronouns.

2. We want to remind you all again, if we raise anything that you don’t want to discuss or that makes you uncomfortable, you don’t need to respond. Our goal for today is to get your feedback on the questions, how they are worded, and what your thought process was when you answered the questions, so you can help us improve the questions. As we ask for your feedback on specific survey questions, you do not need to share your answers to the questions.

3. We understand that participating in a group like this might be new to some of you. Before we begin our discussion, we want to establish a few group rules. Please feel free to add to this if you have other things we should consider as a group:

• There are no right or wrong answers to our questions. We just want to know your true opinions so we can help make the surveys better for people with similar life experiences—all feedback is welcome!

• Remember to be respectful of everyone’s opinions, even if they are different from your own. We are really interested to hear if you all have different thoughts and opinions about these questions, and welcome that discussion. We just want to always be kind and respectful.

• Please do not share what we discuss today outside of this room. It is up to each of you to respect one another’s privacy and honor this request. 

• Feel free to use the chat throughout our session as well.

Does anyone have any questions before we begin or anything to add to our group rules?

Interview guidelines [interview only]

1. We want to remind you all again, if we raise anything that you don’t want to discuss or that makes you uncomfortable, you don’t need to respond. Our goal for today is to get your feedback on how the questions are worded and your thought process for answering these questions, so you can help us improve the questions. As we ask for your feedback on specific survey questions, you do not need to tell us what your answer on the survey was or would be.

2. We understand that participating in a session like this might be new to you. There are no right or wrong answers to our questions. We just want to know your true opinions so we can help make the surveys better for people with similar life experiences—all feedback is welcome!

Do you have any questions before we begin?

BEGIN DISCUSSION. SESSIONS ARE BEING RECORDED. CHECK THAT RECORDING HAS BEGUN. GO TO DATA COLLECTION PROTOCOL.

DATA COLLECTION PROTOCOL

USE FOR EITHER FOCUS GROUP OR INTERVIEW

Note on probes

The probes in the data protocol are written for focus groups. Interviewers should modify the language to suit individual interviews.

High level questions

Let’s start by discussing your overall thoughts on the surveys. For this first part, think about the exit survey you just completed, as well as the surveys you took at the beginning of the program.

1. If you were to describe your experience responding to the survey questions in one word, what would it be?

2. Overall, how relevant were the questions to your life and your goals?

3. Were there topics that you think the questions overemphasized or were given too much attention?

4. Were there topics that you think needed more emphasizing or additional questions?

5. Were there important topics about family, finances, or other areas that were missing?

6. Thinking about the overall tone of the questions, would you say they were more positive, negative, or mixed? For example, do you think the questions seemed overly positive or overly negative? Why?

• As we discuss specific questions in the next part of the conversation, please feel free to suggest where and how you think the tone or wording of questions could be improved.

7. How comfortable were you answering the survey questions at the beginning of the program? What about at the end?

8. How did you feel about the time needed to respond to the questions? Too long, too short, just right? Why?

9. Anything else to add about your experience taking the surveys?

Entrance/Exit Survey

ENT/EXIT A. PARENTING AND CO-PARENTING

Probes

Let’s start by walking through questions in the Parenting Section and the A1 series of questions that people answer at the beginning and end of classes.

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of your culture and racial or ethnic identity? If not, which questions, and why?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of people with different backgrounds? If not, which questions, and why?

• IF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INDICATE THE QUESTIONS ARE NEGATIVE: Do you have suggestions to make the wording more positive?

• Let’s look at A1a. This is a long question but can someone paraphrase what it is asking? Do others interpret this differently? What does “actively raising” mean to you? Do others agree?

• Let’s look at A1d. Can someone say the first response option in their own words? Do others agree?

• Let’s look at A1f. What does “most of the time” mean to you?

• PROBE AS NEEDED ON RESPONSE OPTIONS ON EACH ITEM (DEPENDING ON WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED): Do the options make sense? Are there enough options? If not, which ones are missing? Are there too many options? Can the wording be improved? How did you react to being asked this question?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

[ASK ALL]

We would like to get a sense of who you are as a parent. We realize that children are different and may require different parenting.

Questions in this section are about your child—or if you have more than one child, your youngest and oldest children—who is 24 years old or younger.

A1a. Do you have any children who are 24 years old or younger? Please include biological children, adopted children, stepchildren, foster children, and any child or youth up to age 24 whom you are actively raising and who is the child of a partner or relative but who is not your biological or legally adopted child.

SELECT ONE ONLY

GO TO A1b

1  Yes, I have one child who is 24 years old or younger

2  Yes, I have more than one child who is 24 years old or younger

GO TO B1

3  No, I have no children

4  No, all my children are 25 years old or older

A1b. What is your youngest child’s first name or initials?

A1c. Is this your biological or legally adopted child?

SELECT ONE ONLY

GO TO A1e

1  Yes, this is my biological child

2  Yes, this is my legally adopted child

0  No GO TO A1d

A1d. What is your relationship to [CHILD1]?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Parental figure to spouse’s or partner’s biological child

2  Foster parent

3  Relative

4  Other (specify)

A1e. How old is [CHILD1]?

| | | years old or | | | months old

A1f. Does [CHILD1] live with you all or most of the time?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Yes, he or she lives with me all or most of the time GO TO A2a

0  No, he or she does not live with me all or most of the time GO TO A1g

IF A1f = NO RESPONSE, GO TO A1g

A1g. When is the last time you saw [CHILD1]?

select ONE ONLY

GO TO A2a

1  In the past week

2  In the past month

3  In the past 6 months

4  In the past year

GO TO A2c

5  1 to 2 years ago

6  More than 2 years ago

7  Never

Probes

Now let’s look at the A2a-A2c series of questions and response options.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people will react to being asked about some of the topics in this series?

• IF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INDICATE THE QUESTIONS ARE NEGATIVE: Do you have suggestions to make the wording more positive?

• Can someone walk me through how you would come up with an answer to question A2b? What do others think? Was this easy or difficult to answer?

• Let’s look at A2c. This question includes several options for ways to reach children. What did you all think of this definition? Anything missing?

• PROBE AS NEEDED ON RESPONSE CHOICES ON EACH ITEM (DEPENDING ON WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED): Do the choices make sense? Are there enough choices? Are there too many choices? Are there any choices missing? Are there easier or better answer choices? Can the wording be improved?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

A2a. In the past month, how often did you see [CHILD1]?

SELECT ONE ONLY

GO TO A2b

1  Every day or almost every day

2  One to three times a week

3  One to three times in the past month

4  I did not see this child in the past month GO TO A2c

A2b. In the past month when you saw [CHILD1], how many hours per day did you usually spend with [CHILD1]? Do not include hours the child is sleeping.

| | | hours per day

A2c. In the past month, how often have you reached out to [CHILD1] even if [CHILD1] did not respond? This includes calling on the phone; sending email, letters, or cards; texting; or using Facebook or FaceTime.

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Every day or almost every day

2  One to three times a week

3  One to three times in the past month

4  Never in the past month

Probes

Let’s look at the A2d-A2f series of items.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think other people will react to being asked these questions?

• IF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INDICATE THE QUESTIONS ARE NEGATIVE: Do you have suggestions to make the wording more positive?

• Let’s look at each question individually. Are the questions clear? Is there a better way to word any of the questions or structure the response options?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

A2d. Do you have an agreement with the mother of [CHILD1] about spending time with [CHILD1]?

SELECT ONE ONLY

GO TO A2e

1  Yes, we have a legal document

2  Yes, we have a written agreement that is not court-ordered

GO TO A3

3  Yes, we have a verbal understanding

4  No, we have no parenting agreement

A2e. How often does [CHILD1]’s mother follow the agreement?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Always

2  Often

3  Sometimes

4  Never

A2f. How often do you follow the agreement?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Always

2  Often

3  Sometimes

4  Never

Probes

We’ll now turn to questions about the parent-child relationship. If someone has not had recent contact with their children, they would not be asked these questions. Let’s turn to A3.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people with similar backgrounds and life experiences will react to being asked about some of the topics in this series?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of your culture and racial or ethnic identity? If not, which questions, and why?

• IF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INDICATE THE QUESTIONS ARE NEGATIVE: Do you have suggestions to make the wording more positive?

• Are these questions clear? Is there a better way to word the question or structure the response options?

• Let’s look individually at the items A3a-A3g. We ask how often each statement applies to your relationship with your child. Can someone walk me through how you would come up with your answers to these statements? What time period were you looking back over? What do others think?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

[ASK IF LIVES WITH CHILD1 or SAW CHILD1 = IN PAST WEEK OR PAST MONTH]

A3. Please reflect on the degree to which each of the following statements currently applies to your relationship with your child.

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	ALWAYS	OFTEN	SOMETIMES	RARELY	NEVER
a. How often do you feel disappointed with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
b. How often do you wish that [CHILD1] was different?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
c. How often do you feel proud of [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
d. How often do you feel angry or irritated with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
e. How often do you accept [CHILD1] the way he or she is?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
f. How often do you feel you and your child understand each other?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
g. How often do you and your child argue and fight?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 

Probes

Now let’s look at the series of questions in A4.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people will react to being asked these questions?

• Do you think people will feel comfortable providing honest answers to these questions? Why or why not? What factors might play into people feeling more or less comfortable about providing honest answers to these questions?

• IF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INDICATE THE QUESTIONS ARE NEGATIVE: Do you have suggestions to make the wording more positive?

• What are other ways that come to mind for how people might react when they are upset with a child?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions? What do others think?

[ASK IF SAW CHILD1 = IN PAST WEEK OR PAST MONTH or LIVES WITH CHILD1]

A4. Over the past month, did you …

		SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
		YES	NO
	a. ... hit, spank, grab, or use physical punishment with [CHILD1]?	1 	0 
	b. ... yell, shout, or scream at [CHILD1] because you were mad at him or her?	1 	0 
	c. ... talk to [CHILD1] about what he or she did wrong?	1 	0 

Probes

The next series of questions are based on the child’s age, so you might have been asked about different activities. Now let’s turn to question A5a.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people will react to being asked these questions?

• Do you think people will feel comfortable providing honest answers to these questions? Why or why not? What factors might play into people feeling more or less comfortable about providing honest answers to these questions?

• Items A5a.a through A5a.k all ask about father-child activities for teenage children. Is there anything missing here that you think we should ask about? Anything that you were surprised to see included? Why?

• (ASKED ANOTHER WAY): Do you think these items are relevant, or make sense, when thinking about your relationship with a teenage child? Why or why not?

• The question is asking how often you engage in these activities. How easy or hard would it be to come up with an answer, based on the response categories? Are there easier or better answer choices?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

[ASK IF LIVES WITH CHILD1 or SAW CHILD1 = IN PAST WEEK OR PAST MONTH and CHILD1 AGE > 12 YEARS]

A5a. Below are some questions about the different types of things you do with your child. Please share how often you have engaged in the following activities during the last month (30 days).

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	NEVER	1 TO 2 DAYS PER MONTH	3 OR 4 DAYS PER MONTH	2 OR 3 DAYS PER WEEK	EVERY DAY OR ALMOST EVERY DAY
a. How often have you watched TV with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
b. How often have you gone for a walk with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
c. How often have you had a meal with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
d. How often have you gone with [CHILD1] to a park?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
e. How often have you played or assisted [CHILD1] with sports?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
f. How often have you watched over or cared for [CHILD1] when other adults were not around?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
g. How often have you played board games or chess with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
h. How often have you hugged [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
i. How often have you encouraged [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
j. How often have you told [CHILD1] you loved him or her?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
k. How often have you taught [CHILD1] to make good choices?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 

Probes

Now let’s turn to question A5b.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people will react to being asked these questions?

• Do you think people will feel comfortable providing honest answers to these questions? Why or why not? What factors might play into people feeling more or less comfortable about providing honest answers to these questions?

• These all ask about father-child activities with 7–12 year-olds, so about 2nd-7th grade. Is there anything missing here that you think we should ask about? Anything that you were surprised to see included? Why?

• (ASKED ANOTHER WAY): Do you think these items are relevant, or make sense, when thinking about your relationship with a child that age? Why or why not?

• (ONLY ASK AGAIN IF YOU DIDN’T GET A CHANCE AT A5A): The question is asking how often you engage in these activities. How easy or hard would it be to come up with an answer, based on the response categories? Are there easier or better answer choices?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

[ASK IF LIVES WITH CHILD1 or SAW CHILD1 = IN PAST WEEK OR PAST MONTH AND CHILD1 AGE > 6 YEARS AND <=12 YEARS]

A5b. Below are some questions about the different types of things you do with your child. Please share how often you have engaged in the following activities during the last month (30 days).

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	NEVER	1 TO 2 DAYS PER MONTH	3 OR 4 DAYS PER MONTH	2 OR 3 DAYS PER WEEK	EVERY DAY OR ALMOST EVERY DAY
a. How often have you played toys with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
b. How often have you had meals with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
c. How often have you hugged [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
d. How often have you watched over or cared for [CHILD1] when other adults were not around?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
e. How often have you read with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
f. How often have you taught [CHILD1] to take turns or to wait for rewards?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
g. How often have you encouraged [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
h. How often have you told [CHILD1] you loved him or her?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
i. How often have you talked with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 

Probes

Now let’s turn to question A5c and the options for responding to the question.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people will react to being asked these questions?

• Do you think people will feel comfortable providing honest answers to these questions? Why or why not? What factors might play into people feeling more or less comfortable about providing honest answers to these questions?

• These all ask about father-child activities with younger kids, from 1-6 years old. Is there anything missing here that you think we should ask about? Anything that you were surprised to see included? Why?

• (ASKED ANOTHER WAY): Do you think these items are relevant, or make sense, when thinking about your relationship with a child that age? Why or why not?

• (ONLY ASK AGAIN IF YOU DIDN’T GET A CHANCE AT A5A-B): The question is asking how often you engage in these activities. How easy or hard would it be to come up with an answer, based on the response categories? Are there easier or better answer choices?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

[ASK IF LIVES WITH CHILD1 or SAW CHILD1 = IN PAST WEEK OR PAST MONTH AND CHILD1 AGE > 1 YEAR AND <= 6 YEARS]

A5c. Below are some questions about the different types of things you do with your child. Please share how often have you engaged in the following activities during the last month (30 days).

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	NEVER	1 TO 2 DAYS PER MONTH	3 OR 4 DAYS PER MONTH	2 OR 3 DAYS PER WEEK	EVERY DAY OR ALMOST EVERY DAY
a. How often have you played toys with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
b. How often have you had meals with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
c. How often have you hugged [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
d. How often have you watched over or cared for [CHILD1] when other adults were not around?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
e. How often have you played rough-and-tumble or roughhoused with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
f. How often have you read with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
g. How often have you taught [CHILD1] to take turns or to wait for rewards?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
h. How often have you encouraged [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
i. How often have you told [CHILD1] you loved him or her?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
j. How often have you talked with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 

Probes

Now let’s turn to question A5d and the options for responding to the question.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people will react to being asked these questions?

• Do you think people will feel comfortable providing honest answers to these questions? Why or why not? What factors might play into people feeling more or less comfortable about providing honest answers to these questions?

• These all aim to understand father-child activities with babies. Is there anything missing here that you think we should ask about? Anything that you were surprised to see included? Why?

• (ASKED ANOTHER WAY): Do you think these items are relevant, or make sense, when thinking about your relationship with a child at that age? Why or why not?

• (ONLY ASK AGAIN IF YOU DIDN’T GET A CHANCE AT A5A-C): The question is asking how often you engage in these activities. How easy or hard would it be to come up with an answer, based on the response categories? Are there easier or better answer choices?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

[ASK IF LIVES WITH CHILD1 or SAW CHILD1 = IN PAST WEEK OR PAST MONTH AND CHILD1 AGE <= 1 YEAR]

A5d. Below are some questions about the different types of things you do with your child. Please share how often have you engaged in the following activities during the last month (30 days).

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	NEVER	1 TO 2 DAYS PER MONTH	3 OR 4 DAYS PER MONTH	2 OR 3 DAYS PER WEEK	EVERY DAY OR ALMOST EVERY DAY
a. How often have you fed or given a bottle to [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
b. How often have you praised [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
c. How often have you watched over or cared for [CHILD1] when his or her mother was not around?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
d. How often have you put [CHILD1] to sleep?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
e. How often have you played toys with [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
f. How often have you talked to [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
g. How often have you hugged [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
h. How often have you told [CHILD1] you loved him or her?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
i. How often have you sung to [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
j. How often have you read to [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
k. How often have you told stories to [CHILD1]?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 

Probes

The next set of items in section A asks the same set of questions that we just went through for your youngest child, but about your oldest child. We will not walk through these one by one, but I did want to pause before we move on to see if anyone wanted to say anything here that is different from the first set of questions when you were thinking about your youngest child?

• Do you think it will be easy or hard for parents with multiple children to separately answer these questions for their oldest and youngest children? If yes, what makes it hard?

Probes

Now let’s turn to A12-A15. Note, A13 & A14 ask the same items, once for the youngest child and once for the oldest.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people with similar backgrounds and life experiences will react to being asked about some of the topics in this series?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of your culture and racial or ethnic identity? If not, which questions, and why?

• IF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INDICATE THE QUESTIONS ARE NEGATIVE: Do you have suggestions to make the wording more positive?

• Let’s look at each question individually—Are the questions clear? Is there a better way to word the question or structure the response options?

• (Probe as needed on response choices, depending on what has already been discussed): Do the choices make sense? Are there enough choices? Are there too many choices? Are there any choices missing? Are there easier or better answer choices? Can the wording be improved?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

[ASK IF CHILDREN = I HAVE MORE THAN ONE CHILD or LIVES WITH CHILD2 AND IF SAW CHILD2 = IN PAST WEEK OR PAST MONTH]

A12. In the past month, how often have you felt overwhelmed by your parenting responsibilities?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Never

2  Hardly ever

3  Sometimes

4  Often

[ASK IF CHILDREN = ONE CHILD OR MORE THAN ONE CHILD AGE 24 OR YOUNGER]

A13. Thinking about [CHILD 1], how much do you agree or disagree with each of the statements below?

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	STRONGLY DISAGREE	DISAGREE	NEUTRAL	AGREE	STRONGLY AGREE
a. The mother of [CHILD1] contradicts the decisions I made about [CHILD1].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
b. The mother of [CHILD1] makes negative comments, jokes, or sarcastic comments about the way I parent.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
c. The mother of [CHILD1] undermines me as a father.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
d. The mother of [CHILD1] and I discuss the best way to meet [CHILD1]’s needs.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
e. The mother of [CHILD1] and I share information about [CHILD1] with each other.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
f. The mother of [CHILD1] and I make joint decisions about [CHILD1].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
g. The mother of [CHILD1] and I try to understand where each other is coming from.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
h. The mother of [CHILD1] and I respect each other’s decisions made about [CHILD1].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
i. The mother of [CHILD1] makes it hard for me to spend time with [CHILD1].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
j. The mother of [CHILD1] makes it hard for me to talk with [CHILD1].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
k. The mother of [CHILD1] tells [CHILD1] what he or she is allowed and not allowed to say to me.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 

[ASK IF CHILDREN = MORE THAN ONE CHILD AGE 24 OR YOUNGER]

A14. Thinking about [CHILD2], how much do you agree or disagree with each of the statements below?

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	STRONGLY DISAGREE	DISAGREE	NEUTRAL	AGREE	STRONGLY AGREE
a. The mother of [CHILD2] contradicts the decisions I made about [CHILD2].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
b. The mother of [CHILD2] makes negative comments, jokes, or sarcastic comments about the way I parent.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
c. The mother of [CHILD2] undermines me as a father.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
d. The mother of [CHILD2] and I discuss the best way to meet [CHILD2]’s needs.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
e. The mother of [CHILD2] and I share information about [CHILD2] with each other.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
f. The mother of [CHILD2] and I make joint decisions about [CHILD2].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
g. The mother of [CHILD2] and I try to understand where each other is coming from.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
h. The mother of [CHILD2] and I respect each other’s decisions made about [CHILD2].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
i. The mother of [CHILD2] makes it hard for me to spend time with [CHILD2].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
j. The mother of [CHILD2] makes it hard for me to talk with [CHILD2].	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
k. The mother of [CHILD2] tells [CHILD2] what he or she is allowed and not allowed to say to me.	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 

[ASK IF CHILDREN = MORE THAN ONE CHILD AGE 24 OR YOUNGER]

A15. Do [CHILD1] and [CHILD2] have the same mother?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Yes, they have the same mother

0  No, they have different mothers

Section wrap up

Thank you so much for the very helpful feedback on this section of the survey. Before we move on to the next section of the survey...

• Do you think these questions covered important aspects of parenting for you, and others in your community?

• Are there any topics or questions that could be dropped? Tell me more about why they should be dropped (for example, not relevant or not appropriate).

• What other aspects of parenting are we missing?

B. ECONOMIC STABILITY

Probes

Now let’s look at the Economic Stability questions, starting with question B1.

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of your culture and racial or ethnic identity? If not, which questions, and why?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of people with different backgrounds? If not, which questions, and why?

• Are there any job search related skills missing here?

• The response options for these statements are all the same. Do the options make sense? If not, what would be an easier or better way to respond to the statements? When do you think someone would select “Not Applicable”?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for this question? What do others think?

• Let’s look at question B2. When thinking about looking for jobs, how relevant is having an updated resume? What do others think?

[ASK ALL]

B1. How much do you agree or disagree with each of the statements below?

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	STRONGLY AGREE	AGREE	DISAGREE	STRONGLY DISAGREE	NOT APPLICABLE
a. I would like to learn new job skills	1 	2 	3 	4 	na 
b. I know where to find job openings	1 	2 	3 	4 	na 
c. I know how to apply for a job	1 	2 	3 	4 	na 
d. I feel confident in my ability to conduct an effective job search for a job I want	1 	2 	3 	4 	na 
e. I feel confident in my interviewing skills	1 	2 	3 	4 	na 

[ASK ALL]

B2. Do you have an updated resume that you can give to employers?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Yes

0  No

Probes

Now let’s look at the next few questions, B3-B4.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people will react to being asked about some of the topics in this series?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of your culture and racial or ethnic identity? If not, which questions, and why?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of people with different backgrounds? If not, which questions, and why?

• Do you think these questions are a good way to find out about someone’s financial situation? If not, what other things could we ask about?

• Questions B3a and B3b ask about checking and savings accounts. How did you react to being asked about this? How do you think other people will react to being asked about having these accounts?

• Let’s look at B4. Can someone say what this question means in your own words?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

[ASK ALL]

B3a. Do you have a checking account?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Yes

0  No

[ASK ALL]

B3b. Do you have a savings account?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Yes

0  No

[ASK ALL]

B4. How often do you find it difficult to pay your bills?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Never

2  Once in a while

3  Somewhat often

4  Very often

Probes

Now let’s look at the next few questions, B5-B6.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people will react to being asked about some of the topics in this series?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of your culture and racial or ethnic identity? If not, which questions, and why?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of people with different backgrounds? If not, which questions, and why?

• Do you think these questions are a good way to find out about someone’s employment situation? If not, what other things could we ask about?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What do others think?

[ASK ALL]

B5. What is your current employment status?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

1 □ Full-time employment (usually work 35 or more hours a week)

2 □ Part-time employment (usually work 1–34 hours a week)

3 □ Employed, but number of hours change from week to week

4 □ Temporary, occasional, or seasonal employment, or odd jobs for pay

5 □ Stay-at-home parent or homemaker

6  Not currently employed

SOFT CHECK: IF CURRENT EMPLOYMENT = NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYED = DISABLE OTHER OPTIONS]

[ASK IF CURRENT EMPLOYMENT = STAY-AT-HOME PARENT, NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYED, OR NO RESPONSE]

B5a. Are you actively looking for work?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Yes

0  No

[ASK ALL]

B6. Are you currently in school, working toward your GED, or in college or other post-high school education?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Yes

0  No

Probes

Now let’s look at the remaining items on financial well-being in section B.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people will react to being asked about some of the topics in this series?

• Do you think people will feel comfortable providing honest answers to these questions? Why or why not? What factors might play into people feeling more or less comfortable about providing honest answers to these questions?

• Were any questions unclear? If so, what is a better way to ask the questions?

• How else can the questions be improved?

• Let’s look at B9. Is the question clear? Is there a better way to word the question or structure the topics or response options? Did you notice anything missing from this list or something you expected to see that was not included? [IF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INDICATE THE QUESTIONS ARE NEGATIVE: Do you have suggestions to make the wording more positive?]

• Did anyone mark anything we have not already discussed for these questions and response options? What did you mark and why? What do others think?

[ASK ALL]

B7. In the past 30 days, how much money did you make?

Please include tips, bonuses, commissions, and regular overtime pay, and count all money you received before taxes and deductions and money you earned from informal work or odd jobs. If you held more than one job, include your total earnings from all of your work during the past 30 days. Do not include the earnings of other people who live with you.

Your best estimate is fine.

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  No earnings in the past 30 days

2  $1–$499

3  $500–$1,000

4  $1,001–$2,000

5  $2,001–$3,000

6  $3,001–$4,000

7  $4,001–$5,000

8  More than $5,000

[SKIP IF IF B6A=5 OR 6 (STAY AT HOME PARENT OR HOMEMAKER, OR NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYED)]

B8. When did you first start working in the job you have now? If you have more than one job, think about the job you worked at for the most hours during the past 30 days.

| | | / | | | | |

MM YYYY

B9. Some people experience challenges that make it hard to find or keep a good job. Do any of the following make it difficult for you to find or keep a job?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

1 □ I have a criminal record

2 □ I do not have reliable transportation

3 □ I do not have the right clothes for a job (including uniforms)

4 □ I do not have documentation for legal employment (e.g., birth certificate)

5 □ I do not have good enough child care or family help

6 □ I do not have the right skills or education for good jobs

7 □ I have a physical disability or poor health

8 □ I have substance use or mental health challenges

9  None of the above

Probes

Now let’s look at the next two items, B10 & B11.

• How did you react to being asked these questions? How do you think people with similar backgrounds and life experiences will react to being asked about some of the topics in this series?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions? What do others think?

[ASK IF CHILD1 LIVES WITH = ‘No, he or she does not live with me all or most of the time’ OR IF CHILD2 LIVES WITH = ‘No, he or she does not live with me all or most of the time’]

B10. Do you have a legal arrangement or child support order that requires you to provide financial support for ANY of your children that do not live with you all or most of the time?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Yes

0  No

d  I don’t know

[ASK ALL]

B11. Is there someone you could turn to, such as a friend or family member, if you suddenly needed to borrow money?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Yes

0  No

d  I don’t know

C. RELATIONSHIPS/MARRIAGE

Probes

Now let’s look at C1.

• How did you react to being asked this question? How do you think other people will react to this question and the statements? Do you think people will feel comfortable providing honest answers? Why or why not?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of your culture and racial or ethnic identity? If not, which questions, and why?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of people with different backgrounds? If not, which questions, and why?

• IF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INDICATE THE QUESTIONS ARE NEGATIVE: Do you have suggestions to make the wording more positive?

Now let’s look at C2 – C5.

• Are the questions clear? Are there a better way to word the questions or structure the statements and response options? How easy or difficult would it be for you to respond?

• Do the response options make sense? Are there enough options? If not, which ones are missing? Are there too many? Can the wording be improved?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for this question and response options? What did you mark and why? What do others think?

[ASK ALL]

C1. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	STRONGLY AGREE	AGREE	DISAGREE	STRONGLY DISAGREE
a. It is better for children if their parents are married	1 	2 	3 	4 
b. Living together is just the same as being married	1 	2 	3 	4 

[ASK ALL]

C2. What is your current marital status?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Married

2  Engaged

3  Separated

4  Divorced

5  Widowed

6  Never married/single GO TO C2

[ASK IF MARITAL STATUS = SEPARATED, DIVORCED, WIDOWED, NEVER MARRIED, OR NO RESPONSE]

C3. What is your current partner status?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  No current partner (unpartnered or single)

2  I am romantically involved or in a committed relationship with someone on a steady basis

3  I am involved in an on-again and off-again relationship

SKIP IF CURRENT PARTNER = NO CURRENT PARTNER]

C4. How much of the time do you live with your current partner?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  All of the time

2  Most of the time

3  Some of the time

4  None of the time

C5. How satisfied are you with your current relationship?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Very satisfied

2  Somewhat satisfied

3  Not satisfied

D. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Probes

Now let’s look at questions about personal development, starting with question D1.

• Is the question clear? Is there a better way to word the question or structure the topics or response options?

• How did you react to being asked this question? How do you think other people will react to it? Do you think people will feel comfortable providing honest answers? Why or why not?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for this question and response options? What do others think?

D1. This question is about feelings you may have experienced recently. During the past 30 days, how often have you felt…

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	NONE OF THE TIME	A LITTLE OF THE TIME	SOME OF THE TIME	MOST OF THE TIME	ALL OF THE TIME
a. Nervous?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
b. Hopeless?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
c. Restless or fidgety?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
d. So depressed that nothing could cheer you up?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
e. That everything was an effort?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 
f. Worthless?	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 

Probes

Now let’s look at question D2.

• How did you react to being asked this question? How do you think other people will react to being asked about some of the topics in this series? Do you think people will feel comfortable providing honest answers? Why or why not?

• IF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INDICATE THE QUESTIONS ARE NEGATIVE: Do you have suggestions to make the wording more positive?

• Is the question clear? Is there a better way to word the question or structure the response options?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these statements and response options? What do others think?

[ASK ALL]

D2. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	STRONGLY AGREE	AGREE	DISAGREE	STRONGLY DISAGREE
a. I have little control over the things that happen to me.	1 	2 	3 	4 
b. I have hope when I think about my future.	1 	2 	3 	4 
c. I wouldn’t know where to go for help if I had money troubles.	1 	2 	3 	4 
d. I have others who will listen when I need to talk about my problems or when I am lonely.	1 	2 	3 	4 
e. I have people I can count on if I am feeling down.	1 	2 	3 	4 
f. If there is a crisis, I have others I can talk to.	1 	2 	3 	4 

E. PROGRAM PERCEPTIONS

Probes

Now let’s look at questions E1 – E5.

• Are the questions clear? Are there better ways to word the questions or structure the response options?

• Is there other questions about your experiences in the program that you think should be included?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these statements and response options? What do others think?

[ASK ALL]

E1. Since you began attending the program, have you obtained any of the following?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

1 □ High school diploma/GED

2 □ Vocational/technical certification

3 □ Other (specify)

na  None of the above

[SOFT CHECK IF E1 = 4, THEN DISABLE OTHER OPTIONS]

[ASK ALL]

E2. On a scale from 1 to 5, overall, how helpful was the program to you?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  1 – not at all

2  2

3  3

4  4

5  5 – extremely helpful

[SKIP IF CHILDREN = NO CHILDREN OR ALL CHILDREN AGE 25 OR OLDER]

E3. On a scale from 1 to 5, overall, how helpful was the program for your parenting?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  1 – not at all

2  2

3  3

4  4

5  5 – extremely helpful

na  not addressed by this program

[SKIP IF CHILDREN = NO CHILDREN OR ALL CHILDREN AGE 25 OR OLDER]

E4. On a scale from 1 to 5, overall, how helpful was the program for helping you work together as parents with the mother or mothers of your child/children?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  1 – not at all

2  2

3  3

4  4

5  5 – extremely helpful

na  not addressed by this program

0  None of the mothers of my children are involved with my children

[ASK ALL]

E5. On a scale from 1 to 5, overall, how helpful was the program for your financial well-being?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  1 – not at all

2  2

3  3

4  4

5  5 – extremely helpful

na  not addressed by this program

Entrance/exit survey wrap up

Thank you so much for the very helpful feedback on these questions that people answer when they start and end workshops. Did we miss anything in our discussion that you would like to mention now?

Next, we’ll discuss the survey questions that people answer when they enroll in the program.

Applicant Characteristics Survey

ACS. SELECTED QUESTIONS

Probes

Let’s finish up by walking through a few questions that people answer only when they enroll in the program.

• Do you remember how you reacted to being asked these questions? If you were asked these questions now, how would you react? How do you think other people will react to being asked these questions?

• How comfortable do you think people feel answering these questions?

• Do these seem relevant to you and your life experiences?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of your culture and racial or ethnic identity? If not, which questions, and why?

• Do you think that these statements are respectful of people with different backgrounds? If not, which questions, and why?

• Anything else we have not already discussed for these questions in this section? What do others think?

[ASK ALL]

A1. How do you describe yourself?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Female

2  Male

4  Other (specify)

B1. In the past month, have you or anyone in your household received the following types of assistance?

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	YES	NO
a. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)	1 	0 
b. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)	1 	0 
c. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)	1 	0 
d. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/Food stamps	1 	0 
e. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)	1 	0 
f. Unemployment insurance	1 	0 
g. Housing choice voucher (sometimes called Section 8)	1 	0 
h. Cash assistance	1 	0 
i. Child support	1 	0 

ASK ALL]

B2a. What is your current living situation?

SELECT ONE ONLY

1  Own home

2  Rent

3  Live at home with parents or relatives (rent-free)

4  Live with friends (rent-free)

5  Live in a shelter, halfway house, or treatment center

6  Live on the streets, in a car, abandoned building, or another place not meant for sleeping

7  Currently incarcerated GO TO B3

8  Other

Focus Group/Interview Wrap-up

Thank you so much for the very helpful feedback on the survey questions. Please take a moment to look back through the questions. As you might remember, we want to know how well the questions in these surveys reflect the experiences, values, and beliefs of people from different backgrounds, races, ethnicities, and cultures. Did we miss anything in our discussion that you would like to mention now? This can be about your general thoughts, feedback, or opinions on the surveys and the experience of answering the questions, rather than about specific questions.

That concludes our discussion. Thank you for attending the focus group today and for providing feedback on the survey questions. If you have any follow up questions, we added our email address in the chat and can stay on a few more moments. Otherwise, you will receive an email with a thank you note and your incentive for participating in today’s group. Thanks, and have a wonderful [day/afternoon/evening].