Focus Group Research to Inform the Development of Mesages to change Social Norms

Attachment C. Focus group discussion guide

OMB No. 0920-0572

Expiration Date: 03/31/2018

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 90 minutes per response for participants in the control groups unexposed and 20 minutes per response to participants in the intervention group, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing 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. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Information Collection Review Office, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-74, Atlanta, Georgia, 30333; ATTN: PRA (0920-0572).

1. Welcome, ground rules, and introductions (15 minutes)

   1. Welcome. Thank you all for coming. What you think is very important to us. The main reason we are having this discussion today is to get your thoughts and opinions on ways parents manage children’s behaviors. We’re interested in all your ideas and comments. There are no right or wrong answers. We welcome both positive and negative comments. Feel free to disagree with one another.

   2. Disclosures: We will be taping the session so we can go back and listen again and not miss anything. But these tapes will be destroyed after we prepare our report. To be able to hear from everyone, we ask that you speak one at a time, please.

   3. To guard your privacy, we will ask that you not tell us your name and that you not share what others had to say in this discussion after we are done here. Your comments will be kept anonymous and will only be used develop messages for parents like yourselves.

   4. Introductions: please tell us how many children you have and the ages of your children.

2. Issue 1: Perceived benefits and harms of hitting young children (40 minutes)

The purpose of this section is to explore beliefs around the harms and benefits of nurturing and not hitting young children.

As I mentioned, we’re here to talk about managing children’s behaviors. One way parents manage children’s behaviors is by hitting them. “Hitting” includes things like spanking, whopping, swatting, slapping, popping, shaking, pinching, and any other way parents physically discipline their children.

1. How common is hitting children in your community?

2. How early do parents start hitting children?

3. What are some reasons parents have for hitting children?

4. What about the parents who don’t hit their children? What reasons do they have?

5. What other ways do parents manage children’s behaviors? For example, an infant crying, how do parents manage that?

1. Issue 2: Feedback on sample messages and materials (35 minutes):

The purpose of this section is to get reactions to sample outreach materials and messages that already exist

Now, we are going to talk about some different materials. [Moderator passes out copies of materials and/or hangs items on the wall, as appropriate.]

[Materials will be introduced and then discussed one at a time. Materials will be introduced in a different order in each focus group.]

[For each material, moderator leads participants through a discussion of the following questions:]

A. General Impressions:

What is your first impression? Do you like it? Not like it? What makes you say that?

Were there any words that were unusual or unfamiliar?

Is it trying to get people to do something? If yes, what?

B. Audience and Source:

Who do you think this is for? (Is it for people like you or someone else?)

Have you heard of this before?

Is it credible (do you believe what it’s saying is true)?

For those who believe hitting a child is ok, would this convince you that it’s not?

3. Content Questions:

Do you like the way it is presented? [Probe: tone, language/style, etc.] Is it easy to understand?

Is there anything you want to know that this item does not tell you?

4. Design Questions:

What do you think about the presentation? The person presenting it? Is it easy/difficult to see/read? [For example, probe: Font too big? Too small? Too dense?]

What do you think about the length of the piece?

Would it catch your attention if you saw it somewhere?

4. Conclusion

(10 minutes)

1. Check with PIs for additional questions

2. Ask for any additional ideas from participants

3. Thank participants for their time and ideas

4. Provide departure instructions