0703-NSAP_Focus Group Guide_ServiceMembers+Cadets_11.30.2022

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MTEC Formative Research Focus Group Discussion Guide for Service Members/Cadets

Introduction
Study Description, Background and Consent
Welcome, and thank you for coming. My name is _________, and I will lead our discussion
today; ___________ will take notes. We both work for Naval Health Research Center
(NHRC)/RTI International.
[Pass out consent forms for each service member (paper copy for in-person sessions; electronic
copy for phone interviews). (In-person participants will also receive a second hard copy of the
consent form to keep for their records.)]
You are being asked to volunteer to participate in our research study. Your participation is
completely voluntary and will include participating in a focus group/interview. Before we start
the study, we will go over some key details and give you time to review the consent form and ask
questions.
The purpose of our study is to develop and refine programs to prevent both sexual assault and
unhealthy alcohol use at military installations or Service Academies. We are interested in your
input about how best to develop and deliver sexual assault and unhealthy alcohol use prevention
programs to be relevant and helpful to military personnel and cadets. Specifically, we are
evaluating a program that addresses both sexual assault and unhealthy alcohol use for men and
women. The program involves a combination of internet-based sessions and classroom sessions.
The online sessions are viewed privately using a laptop/tablet and headphones. Classroom
sessions include activities and discussions in a group setting. Your feedback today will provide
us with critical guidance on whether a program like this might work for
[SAILORS/MARINES/CADETS]. As part of this study, we will talk with groups of men and
women [SAILORS/MARINES/CADETS].
Naval Health Research Center
IRB NUMBER: NHRC.2022.0004
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 11/30/2022

Duration and Activities. If you agree to participate, your participation will involve completing
one approximately 90-minute focus group discussion (or interview) and completing an
approximately 5-minute questionnaire. [For Navy service member participants only…] If you
complete your participation during your off-duty time, you will receive a gift card valued at $40
for your participation in this study.
Data. The interview will be audio recorded to make sure that we don’t miss any of your feedback
and the recordings will be transcribed for analysis. Only the research team will have access to
these audio recordings and they will be destroyed after they are transcribed.
Also, we may take notes during today’s discussion. These will not include your name or
anything that could be used to identify you. Other than the contact information you provided to
schedule this session, no identifying information will be collected.
Other than the contact information you provided to schedule this session (if applicable), no
identifying information will be collected during the study. We encourage you to avoid saying
identifying names or locations during the focus groups/interviews, but if you do, they will be
removed from all transcripts.
Benefits and Risks. Because this is a research study, we must inform you of all risks and benefits
to participating. There are no direct benefits to you for participating; however, the information
may help researchers learn more about how to best tailor a combined sexual assault prevention
and alcohol misuse prevention intervention to your branch of the military, which could help
other service members in the future.
There are two primary risks to you in taking part in this study, which are minimal. The first is
psychological discomfort. To mitigate this risk, you do not have to answer any questions that
make you feel uncomfortable or you can stop the interview at any time. The second potential risk
is loss of privacy and/or breach of confidentiality. The procedures in place to protect the study
data and participant privacy include destroying the contact information that participants provided
to schedule the focus group/interviews as soon as it is completed and making no attempts to
connect contact information with your responses. Also, audio recordings will be permanently
deleted as soon as they are transcribed, and any potentially identifiable information will be
redacted.
To further protect you, we ask that you not disclose any of your personal experiences with sexual
assault or alcohol misuse during your participation in this study. We are only seeking your
feedback, opinions, and recommendations on the programs we have developed. It would also put
you at risk if you made statements admitting wrong-doing in the focus group/interview because
this information could potentially be used against you by those who have a responsibility to
report illegal activity or health hazard information. While the research team will keep all of your
comments confidential except as required by law, we encourage you not to disclose any illegal
experiences.
Does anyone have any questions about the study?
Please take a few minutes now to review the consent form on your own and please ask questions
Naval Health Research Center
IRB NUMBER: NHRC.2022.0004
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 11/30/2022

if there is anything you do not understand about the study.
[After

allowing time for potential participants to review the consent documents and responding
to questions, instruct the group to complete the consent form if they have decided to agree to all
terms by marking the box labeled “I provide my consent to participate” and another box labeled
“I provide my consent to be audio recorded” and providing the date. Service members who do
not agree to all study terms, including being audio recorded, will be thanked for their time and
excused. Collect marked consent forms. Tell participants that you will be asking them to confirm
their consent to participate once more verbally once the audio recorder has been turned on.]
Additional Instructions and Logistics


There are no right or wrong answers to our questions, so we hope you’ll be direct
and open with us. We are interested in hearing about your thoughts and opinions
because you are the experts in life as a [SAILOR/MARINE/CADET]. Our goal
today is to gain your perspectives to inform our sexual assault and unhealthy
alcohol use prevention trainings. With your feedback, we are optimistic that
future trainings will be as relevant and impactful as possible. We thank you again
for being instrumental to this work.



We ask that you use a pseudonym, or fake name, today, and write that on your
nametag. [Pass out nametags and pens.] .



If at any point during today’s discussion you prefer to speak without being
recorded, you may tell us to turn off the audio recorder while you share. Please
also keep in mind that you do not have to answer every question we ask during
today’s discussion. It’s always fine to say “pass” or just to remain silent.



As mentioned, do not discuss your own experiences today regarding assault
and/or unhealthy alcohol use, instead, please just share your opinions about how
to prevent sexual assault victimization and unhealthy alcohol use. You can refuse
to answer questions or discuss issues that make you feel uncomfortable.



To protect everyone’s privacy, do not reveal anything you hear during today’s
discussion group to anyone outside of this group. You can respect other people’s
privacy—and they can respect your privacy—by keeping the specifics of today’s
conversation confidential.



Although we have asked everyone to keep these discussions confidential, we also
want everyone to be mindful that we cannot guarantee everyone’s privacy.
Accordingly, as you are sharing information, please keep in mind the limits of
confidentiality.



Along those lines, should you describe any scenarios that involve other people,
we ask that you do not share these individuals’ names. Keeping others’ names
Naval Health Research Center
IRB NUMBER: NHRC.2022.0004
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 11/30/2022

anonymous will make this a confidential environment where you all feel
comfortable sharing insights.




In this interview we are using the terms women and men to include those who
identify with the gender they were assigned at birth as well as transgender service
members. Please note that we do not intend to exclude non-binary, genderfluid,
and intersex identities but aim to align with how sexual assault prevention
trainings are currently structured in military settings. As part of today’s
discussion, we welcome you to at any point express questions, concerns, and
insights related to gender terms as part of this focus group.
There is no need to raise your hand to speak, but if someone else is talking, let
them finish before you speak. We have a lot of questions for you all, and part of
my job will be to keep the discussion moving along so we can cover them all
without running over time. However, I hope you will be doing most of the talking.

Are there any questions about anything I’ve said so far?
[Once participants have consented to participate and be recorded, tell participants that you will
be asking them to confirm this once more verbally once the audio recorder has been turned on.

Start Audio Recorder!

[After beginning the recording, please vocalize the date of the FGD, the military branch (Army,
Navy, Marine Corps), the organization/base (e.g., USMA), and the number of participants in the
focus group. Then, state aloud, “Can you confirm that you have consented to participate in this
study, including being audio recorded? Please state ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’” Each participant will be
asked to verbally state on the recording that they have consented.]
Section A. Demographic Information Survey / Ice Breaker
Thanks so much. Let’s start out with some introductions. Please tell us the fake name you are using
today. In addition, please share what you like to do for fun during your free time. I’ll go first.
[Facilitators/staff should first introduce themselves and then invite participants to begin].
[After concluding the ice breaker, pass out the survey.] We have a short survey to get some brief
demographic information from you. Please only complete the first side. When you are finished, please
hang on to the survey and we will ask you to complete the other side a little later in this session.
Section B. Recipients – Organizational Characteristics (Service Member Perspective)
We value your opinions, both positive and negative. Your honesty today will help us make the best
training possible, so we appreciate your openness.
Naval Health Research Center
IRB NUMBER: NHRC.2022.0004
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 11/30/2022

Sexual Assault Prevention Training
#
Question
B1
To begin, what kinds of sexual assault prevention trainings have you participated in as a
[SAILOR/MARINE/CADET] in the last two years?
i. If none in that time frame, have you participated in any kind of sexual assault
prevention trainings with the [NAVY/MARINE CORPS/USMA]?
ii. Probe for details on training format (e.g., online, in a classroom, individual vs.
group, used technology like tablets/iPads/laptops, PowerPoint presentation, etc.
B3
What was the most helpful thing you learned in this training?
B4
What do you think was the least helpful thing you learned in this training or class?
B5
Do you remember if there was any content on unhealthy alcohol use integrated into the
sexual assault prevention training?
a. If yes: did you find it helpful? Why or why not?
B6
What overall recommendations do you have to improve sexual assault prevention training
at [LOCATION]?
Unhealthy Alcohol Use Prevention Training
Thank you so much again for these insights – we’re now going to focus on anything you remember
related to unhealthy alcohol use prevention trainings.
By “unhealthy alcohol use,” we mean drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol, which
is consistent with other terms you may have heard of, such as “alcohol misuse,” “heavy alcohol use,”
“hazardous alcohol use,” “heavy drinking,” “risky drinking,” “binge drinking,” problem drinking,”
“disordered drinking,” and—for people younger than 21—“underage drinking.”
#
Question
B7
In the last two years, do you recall any trainings related to unhealthy alcohol use
prevention outside of the sexual assault prevention courses that we’ve already discussed?
i.
If none in that time frame, have you participated in any trainings specific to
unhealthy alcohol use prevention with the [NAVY/MARINE CORPS/USMA]?
ii. Probe for details on training format (e.g., online, in a classroom, individual vs.
group, used technology like tablets/iPads/laptops, PowerPoint presentation, etc.
B8
What was the most helpful thing you learned in this training?
B9
What do you think was the least helpful thing you learned in this training or class?
B10
What overall recommendations do you have to improve training related to unhealthy
alcohol use at [LOCATION]?

Section C. Program (Intervention) - Service Member Perspective
I appreciate everyone’s insights so far; your feedback has been incredibly helpful! We’re going to shift
gears a bit, and I’m now going to show you some sample content from the sexual assault and unhealthy
alcohol use training program and ask for your feedback.
Sexual Communication and Consent (SCC)
I have one question before we start looking at the sample content. In our sexual assault
C1
prevention program, we depict scenarios that are high-risk, like parties with alcohol
involved, hazing/initiation rituals, or being the only woman in a group of men in a social
setting. Do you have any suggestions for other “high risk” scenarios we should depict in our
future work with [SAILORS/MARINES/CADETS]?
[Share / show SCC video clip #1].
Does what you see in this video make sense at [LOCATION]? In other words, would it be
C2
Naval Health Research Center
IRB NUMBER: NHRC.2022.0004
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 11/30/2022

C3

believable that this scenario/discussion from the video took place at [LOCATION]? Why or
why not?
i.
Probe on how people talk, what people wear, and the scenario itself.
If you were shown this in a group training setting, how comfortable would you feel reflecting
about what you saw? Would you prefer to view and reflect on your own?

Please complete the questions about clip #1 on your survey.
[Allow participants to answer the questions about SCC video clip #1 on the survey].
[Share / show SCC video clip #2].
Does what you see in this video make sense at [LOCATION]? In other words, would it be
C4
believable that this scenario/discussion from the video took place at [LOCATION]? Why or
why not?
i.
Probe on how people talk, what people wear, and the scenario itself.
If you were shown this in a group training setting, how comfortable would you feel reflecting
C5
about what you saw? Would you prefer to view and reflect on your own?
Please complete the questions about clip #2 on your survey.
[Allow participants to answer the questions about SCC video clip #2 on the survey].
[OPTIONAL (time permitting): Share / show SCC video clip #3].
Does what you see in this video make sense at [LOCATION]? In other words, would it be
C6
believable that this scenario/discussion from the video took place at [LOCATION]? Why or
why not?
Probe on how people talk, what people wear, and the scenario itself.
If you were shown this in a group training setting, how comfortable would you feel reflecting
C7
about what you saw? Would you prefer to view and reflect on your own?
Please complete the questions about clip #3 on your survey.
[Allow participants to answer the questions about SCC video clip #3 on the survey].
eCHECKUP TO GO
Now we’d like to show you some images from our unhealthy alcohol use prevention program, which is
called “eCHECKUP TO GO.” In this program, which is completed online, people first anonymously
enter information about their experiences with and attitudes towards alcohol. After they do that, the
program provides personalized feedback to show them how their alcohol use behaviors compare to
other people of the same age, gender, and service branch, and it also provides personalized suggestions
for how to stay safe.
[Show eCHECKUP TO GO demo #1].
C8
Here is a screenshot of the personalized feedback that a person would receive from
eCHECKUP TO GO showing how they compare to others who are similar to them. In your
opinion, do you think this type of feedback might be of interest to
[SAILORS/MARINES/CADETS]? Why or why not?
C9
If a [SAILOR/MARINE/CADET] were to find out that they drink more than their peers,
what effect do you think that would have on them?
Please complete the questions about demo #1 on your survey.
[Allow participants to answer the questions about eCHECKUP TO GO demo #1 on the survey].
[Share / show eCHECKUP TO GO demo #2].
C10
Here is an example of the personalized suggestions for how to stay safe when using alcohol
someone might receive from the eCHECKUP TO GO program. In your opinion, do you
think this type of feedback might be of interest to [SAILORS/MARINES/CADETS]? Why
or why not?
Naval Health Research Center
IRB NUMBER: NHRC.2022.0004
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 11/30/2022

Please complete the questions about demo #2 on your survey.
[Allow participants to answer the questions about eCHECKUP TO GO demo #2 on the survey].
C11
After seeing these portions of the eCHECKUP TO GO program, do you feel it would be well
received by [SAILORS/MARINES/CADETS]? Why or why not?

Section E. Closing
#
Question
E1
That wraps up all of the questions we have prepared for today. Before we finish, is
there anything else you’d like to add that we didn’t ask about?
[Ask notetaker if they have any additional questions]
[Collect surveys.]
Thank you so much for coming today and for all your helpful comments! Please remember
that everything said here today should stay here. Do not repeat what others said during this
discussion. It’s our hope that we can translate the feedback you gave us into something that
has a very real, very positive impact.

Stop Audio Recorder!

Naval Health Research Center
IRB NUMBER: NHRC.2022.0004
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 11/30/2022