Attachment 8: Distress guidance
Level 1 Mild Distress:
Respondent actions:
Change in voice tone or volume
Change in focus
Hesitancy to answer questions or probes
Fidgeting
Use of inappropriate language
Non-relevant answers
Says, does not want to continue with interview
Interviewer actions:
Pause give respondent time to recover/compose themselves
Check respondent happy to continue if they have not already indicated that they would like to stop – terminate interview if necessary
Change topic/move to next question/topic
Inform PI
Offer appropriate helpline numbers at the end of the interview
Level 2: Moderate distress
Respondent actions:
Level one signs plus…
Long pauses and sighing
Tearful / crying
Extreme forms of agitation
Non-responsiveness
Nonsensical responses to questions or probes
Asks for your advice/help
Interviewer actions:
Stop interview and offer helpline numbers
Inform PI and Operations team lead
Complete respondent distress report form
Level 3: Severe distress
Respondent actions:
Mentions suicidal thoughts
Talks about wishing another person was dead or talks about committing harm to another person
Respondent asks for immediate help from a health care professional
Interviewer actions:
Stop interview and offer helpline numbers
Inform PI and Operations team lead
Complete respondent distress report form
Operations team lead to submit incident report to ERB
Helpline telephone numbers and web resources
For help with emotional distress:
National Suicide Prevention lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) English, 1-888-628-9454 Spanish
National Child Abuse hotline:1-800-4AChild (1-800-422-4453) or text 1-800-422-4453
Additional resources can be found on the CDC Website: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/
For further information on safety and health in the work place or to report an incident at work
National OSHA information line 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742)
Additional resources about youth employment can be found on the OSHA website: https://www.osha.gov/youngworkers/resources.html
The CCQDER operations study team lead Kristen Gregory-Lee/Amanda Titus and the study PI will be informed of distress displayed during the interview.
The operations team lead will be responsible for reporting any signs of severe distress to the ERB.
NIOSH Teen Respondent Distress Report form
CASE ID number___________
Interviewer name_______________________________________________________________
Name of PI____________________________________________________________________
Level of distress (moderate/severe)_________________________________________________
Distress Description
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interviewer Actions
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date reported to PI and Operations team lead_________________________________________
Severe distress
Date reported to ERB____________________________________________________________
Name of operations team lead making report____
File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
Author | Wilmot, Amanda (CDC/DDPHSS/NCHS/DRM) |
File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
File Created | 2025-05-19 |