SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A
Formative Research for Sexual Assault Leadership Training at the U.S. Air Force Academy – 0701-XXXX
1. Need for the Information Collection
This collaborative research effort, led by the University of Florida, has been contracted by the Congressionally Directed & Military Operational Medical Research Programs to conduct formative research to assess emerging leadership training needs, specific to sexual assault prevention and response, under the DoD Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program: Prevention Research to Reduce Sexual Assault (W81XWH2020014 Project Number 190035). As part of this work, the University of Florida, in collaboration with RTI International and the Department of the Air Force (DAF), is conducting interviews with USAF Academy (USAFA) graduates, currently enrolled as Captains in Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base. The primary goal of this formative research is to examine perceptions of the current USAFA leadership, perceived readiness for duty upon graduation, and opportunities for enhancement across the four-year USAFA curriculum (UF and RTI IRB approval memos in Attachment 1 and Attachment 2).
The proposed formative research activities are a key preliminary step in developing a leadership curriculum that will help USAFA produce leaders of character who will contribute to a culture of civility as they become officers in the USAF. Specifically, the results will be used by the DAF to inform evidence-based recommendations for modifications that might enhance future leadership preparedness to prevent and respond to sexual assault within the units they will command. Some of the findings from this work may also be used to enhance leadership training across services. This study supports the DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office’s mission (and that of the Headquarters AF Integrated Resilience Office) to work toward an Air Force culture that is free of sexual violence, as well as the completion of USAFA SAPR’s DoD Junior Leader Working Group POAMs. Ultimately, the implementation of the adapted curriculum may result in a reduced number of sexual assaults and enhanced psychological health and well-being among Airmen, enabling them to remain fit for duty.
2. Use of the Information
Formative research activities will include same-sex focus groups (5-6 participants each) and individual interviews with up to 50 trainees in Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base. Based on prior research with this population, we estimate 50 participants will be sufficient to achieve convergence (the point at which participant responses begin to overlap) across several participant subgroups (e.g., men and women, different racial and ethnic groups) to ensure responses are representative of the larger population. To minimize participant and government burden, the research team will end data collection when participant responses reach convergence. Squadron Officer School trainees who have graduated from USAFA within the past 4-8 years will be included in the study due to their participation of the USAFA leadership curriculum. Further, their post-graduation experiences will allow them to uniquely reflect upon any perceived gaps in training. All focus groups and interviews will be semi-structured using the focus group/interview guide. They will be conducted virtually, recorded, and transcribed using Zoom virtual meeting software.
Procedures
Personnel at Maxwell Air Force Base will reach out to Captains in Squadron Officer School via email to offer the opportunity to participate in interviews (recruitment email and reminder email text is included as supporting documents to this information collection request). Interested SOS Captains will complete a recruitment eligibility survey (also included as a supporting document to this information collection request) to provide information that will allow the research team to schedule them for a focus group or interview.
Upon indicating interest in participation via the emailed recruitment eligibility survey, UF or RTI research staff will contact potential participants via their preferred, non-government email or phone number to schedule a meeting time (scheduling and participation information email text is included in the supporting documents). Scheduling will remain flexible to accommodate Captains’ “free” periods in training or off-duty time. Participants will have the option between participating via focus group or individual interview. Interviews will last up to 60 minutes each and focus groups will last up to 90 minutes each and will be facilitated by trained research staff at UF and RTI International. All interviews will be conducted virtually using a secure government Zoom account. Participants will be instructed to complete the interviews in a quiet, private space with a reliable internet connection. In order to protect participant confidentiality, participants will be instructed to remove any potentially identifying information from view during the interviews including name badges and virtual name banners on Zoom. Names of participants will not be used during the group discussions and group participants will be instructed not to say their names or names of any of the other participants in the focus groups at any time during the session. At the beginning of each interview and focus group, the facilitator will confirm consent to record participant responses via audio recording and the Zoom digital transcription software. Participants will be informed of their rights to skip any questions they do not desire to answer and to withdraw from interviews/focus groups at any time without negative repercussions. Participants will be advised to avoid discussing information that could link their identity to their responses. If a participant begins to talk about personal experiences regarding sexual assault or any other form of violence, the focus group administrator will remind the participant that the questions are not asking about personal experiences, but only about his or her opinions about prevention programming. Although participants will be free to turn on their camera during the video call if they choose, they will be reminded that being on camera may reduce their anonymity if others recognize them.
Data analysis
After all data collection is complete, the transcripts will be reviewed for accuracy and scrubbed of any potentially identifying information. The study team will then conduct thematic analyses to extract common themes in the data. Research partners who have extensive experience with the population and familiarity with military training will outline pre-determined domains by which the focus group and interview responses will be sorted. The analysis team will do a preliminary review of the de-identified focus group and interview responses to determine the most applicable and significant quotes. They will then sort the quotes into the pre-determined domains and identify themes within each domain. The analysis team will then meet to review their categorization of quotes. Rather than conducting a formal qualitative analysis, we will select pre-determined domains for the purpose of clearly communicating and organizing perceptions of current leadership training and sexual assault prevention curriculum. Information extracted from the data will be used to inform training content and leadership training implementation plans. All data will be reported in aggregate form and any exemplary quotes used to support recommendations will be completely de-identified.
3. Use of Information Technology
All participant responses (100%) will be collected electronically via Zoom, and data collection sessions will be transcribed using Zoom transcription software.
4. Non-duplication
The information obtained through this collection is unique and is not already available for use or adaptation from another cleared source.
5. Burden on Small Businesses
This information collection does not impose a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or entities.
6. Less Frequent Collection
Data will be collected one time from each participant. In order to collect all relevant feedback from participants about the current USAFA leadership training curriculum, researchers will spend 60 minutes discussing participants’ feedback about training curriculum and experiences since graduation that might warrant modified or additional training. One-time data collection will minimize burden to participants while allowing researchers to gather vital information.
7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines
This collection of information does not require collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines delineated in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8. Consultation and Public Comments
Part A: PUBLIC NOTICE
A 5-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Thursday, May 12, 2022. The 5-Day FRN citation is 87 FRN 29131.
Part B: CONSULTATION
No additional consultation apart from soliciting public comments through the Federal Register was conducted for this submission.
9. Gifts or Payment
Participants will complete interviews/focus groups during times when they are off duty and will be offered a $20 gift card to compensate them for their time. We’ve deemed $20 the most appropriate incentive value based on prior research with a similar population (e.g., Airmen at Lackland AFB). That research was also formative in nature and designed to inform training curriculum. Feedback from participants revealed Airmen felt $20 was enough of an incentive to sign up for the study and fair compensation for their time.
10. Confidentiality
A Privacy Act Statement is required for this collection, and is provided to participants at the beginning of both data collection instruments. Participants will have the opportunity to read the Privacy Act Statement before providing any PII or other information on the Recruitment Eligibility Survey. The Privacy Act Statement will be reviewed verbally with focus group and interview participants prior to beginning data collection.
A System of Record Notice (SORN) is not required for this collection because records are not retrievable by PII.
A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is not required for this collection because PII is not being collected electronically.
Identifying information collected from participants will be stored separately from randomly assigned study ID numbers and focus group/interview transcripts in password protected files. All data files will be stored by research staff from the University of Florida and/or RTI International, and military personnel will not have access to raw data files or participant information. Personally identifiable information will only be retained by the UF/RTI team for scheduling purposes, and will be deleted immediately after data collection. All potentially identifying information will be redacted from focus group and interview notes and transcripts prior to analysis. Electronic files will be stored on a shared drive accessible only by approved staff. Only project staff will be granted the privileges necessary to make a network connection to the project share. Recordings of focus group and interview meetings will be deleted immediately following confirmation of complete and accurate transcription. Recordings and raw transcripts will not be shared outside of the team conducting and transcribing the interview or focus group. De-identified transcripts will be retained for at least five years and stored on a password-protected computer. These data are not sensitive and do not pose risk to subjects should the study records be accidentally disclosed.
11. Sensitive Questions
Participants will be asked about their experiences learning about sexual assault prevention and response as part of the USAFA leadership curriculum. Questions will seek to gain knowledge about preparation for duty as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. Respondents will not be asked to share personal experiences with sexual assault victimization or perpetration. Facilitators will not ask questions that may elicit individual self-disclosure; in fact, participants will be asked NOT to share personal experiences, but rather to comment on the topics of discussion more generally to get feedback about the leadership curriculum.
12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs
Part A: ESTIMATION OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instrument(s)
Formative Research for USAFA Leadership Curriculum Development: Sexual Assault Leadership Training (SALT) Focus Group Guide
Number of Respondents: 50
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 50
Response Time: 1 hour
Respondent Burden Hours: 50 hours
Formative Research for USAFA Leadership Curriculum Development: Recruitment Eligibility Survey
Number of Respondents: 280
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 280
Response Time: 2 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 9.3 hours
Total Submission Burden
Total Number of Respondents: 330
Total Number of Annual Responses: 330
Total Respondent Burden Hours: 59.3 hours
Part B: LABOR COST OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instrument(s)
Formative Research for USAFA Leadership Curriculum Development: Sexual Assault Leadership Training (SALT) Focus Group Guide
Number of Total Annual Responses: 50
Response Time: 1 hour
Respondent Hourly Wage: $7.25
Labor Burden per Response: $7.25
Total Labor Burden: $362.50
Collection Instrument(s)
Formative Research for USAFA Leadership Curriculum Development: Recruitment Eligibility Survey
Number of Total Annual Responses: 280
Response Time: 2 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $7.25
Labor Burden per Response: $0.24
Total Labor Burden: $67.20
Overall Labor Burden
Total Number of Annual Responses: 330
Total Labor Burden: $429.70
The Respondent hourly wage was determined by using the Department of Labor Wage Website https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/minimumwage
13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs
There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.
14. Cost to the Federal Government
Part A: LABOR COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Collection Instrument(s)
Formative Research for USAFA Leadership Curriculum Development: Sexual Assault Leadership Training (SALT) Focus Group Guide
Number of Total Annual Responses: 50
Processing Time per Response: 1 hours
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $25
Cost to Process Each: $25
Total Cost to Process Responses: $1250
Collection Instrument(s)
Formative Research for USAFA Leadership Curriculum Development: Recruitment Eligibility Survey
Number of Total Annual Responses: 280
Processing Time per Response: 2 minutes
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $25
Cost to Process Each: $0.83
Total Cost to Process Responses: $233.33
Overall Labor Burden to the Federal Government
Total Number of Annual Responses: 330
Total Labor Burden: $1483.33
Part B: OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Cost Categories
Equipment: $0
Printing: $0
Postage: $0
Software Purchases: $0
Licensing Costs: $0
Other: $1000 ($20 gift card incentive to 50 participants)
Total Operational and Maintenance Cost: $1000
Part C: TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $1483.33
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $1000
Total Cost to the Federal Government: $2483.33
15. Reasons for Change in Burden
This is a new collection with a new associated burden.
16. Publication of Results
The results from the formative research are intended to inform recommendations for adaptations to leadership curriculum content, implementation, and timing. Data collection is planned for April-May 2022, and a report will be available upon request by the end of the funding period August 14, 2023. Summaries of these data will be used to support USAFA-initiated reports to meet IRC requirements or other related POAMS. To our knowledge, there are not currently any evidence-based training programs that present sexual assault prevention and response skills through the lens of leadership preparation and readiness for duty. It is possible the results of this study could inform recommendations and best practices for other services across DoD and for prevention scientists to employ when developing sexual assault leadership trainings for non-military populations. To the extent the data are determined to be generalizable to other services or sexual assault prevention training more broadly, we will aim to present the findings at national prevention conferences and/or in peer-reviewed journals during the final year of the project (2022-2023).
17. Non-Display of OMB Expiration Date
We are not seeking approval to omit the display of the expiration date of the OMB approval on the collection instrument.
18. Exceptions to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions”
We are not requesting any exemptions to the provisions stated in 5 CFR 1320.9.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Kaitlin Chiarelli |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2022-05-16 |