Effective Marketing Research Tool for Social Service Agencies
Lead Author: Susan Webster
Lucky Hollander, Tony Scucci, Jane Hubley, Saskia Janes Butler, Helaine
Hornby, David Karraker
1. Advantages and Disadvantages of
Focus Groups as a Research Tool
Goals of a focus group
How focus groups fit with social service program planning
Drawbacks of focus groups
Recommendations when using focus groups as a research tool
Summary of advantages and disadvantages of focus groups
2. Overview of the Child Abuse and
Neglect Prevention Plan Project
and how the project was put together
Developing the community-based plan -- How focus groups fit in
Overview of the project's focus group process
Conducting focus groups in a rural community
What staff wanted from focus groups
Recommendations when using focus groups
3. Preparing for the Focus Group Meetings
planning for focus groups
Developing the questions
Deciding on the numbers
Locating the site
Establishing the responsibilities of the project team
Arranging for childcare and refreshments
Recruiting the participants
4. Conducting the Focus Group Meetings
the meeting begins
How the meeting works
After the meeting is over
Pilot testing the focus group
Mechanisms for creating successful focus groups
5. Putting Together the Results:
Analyzing the Data
Steps to follow
6. What We Learned at the Meetings
7. Next Steps for the Child Abuse
and Neglect Prevention Plan Project
8. Applying Focus Groups to Other Social
- by Helaine
Hornby and Lucky Hollander
One of the major goals of the five-year Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
Project is to disseminate materials about new processes and content
throughout the state and the nation. This booklet is one of a series
that will be available from the project. It is designed to assist other
communities who are intrigued by the importance, indeed necessity, of
involving our prospective clients more directly in defining the services
and approaches that would be most beneficial to strengthening families.
and Disadvantages of Focus Groups as a Research Tool
Imagine a group discussion among strangers which resembles a lively
conversation among friends. It is led by a moderator, and held in a
recognized location within the community, such as a private home, church,
hospital, or school. The number of people in the group ranges from six
to twelve; the meeting's length is around two hours.
Focus groups are a form of qualitative research. This type of research
relies on words and observations to express reality and attempts to
describe people in natural settings and environments. What focus groups
do best is create the opportunity to collect data from small numbers
of people discussing topics of interest to the researcher.
Qualitative research provides in-depth information about relatively
few cases. In contrast, quantitative research, which uses numbers to
represent opinions and concepts, provides less in-depth information
across a large number of cases.
As a research tool, focus groups are designed to gather the experiences
and perceptions of selected target populations on a particular topic.
Focus group members are invited to participate by an organization seeking
information on that topic. Focus groups can also be used in conjunction
with other research tools such as individual interviews, questionnaires,
Goals of a focus group
The structured discussion that takes place in a focus group is an effective
means of gathering information about why people think or feel the way
they do. The goal is not to confirm a preconceived hypothesis; instead,
it is to gather perceptions, information, experiences, and understanding
through discussion of a specified topic.
Neither is the goal to reach consensus, provide recommendations, or
make decisions among alternatives. Information is obtained through open-ended
questions and also from observations of the group discussion. To the
participants, the questions appear spontaneous but in fact are carefully
developed and put into a sequence only after considerable reflection.
focus groups fit with social service program planning
Human service programs have an increasing need to be accountable --
to the community, to their clients, to agencies from whom they request
funding. Organizations need to be able to show real justification for
expanding a program or initiating a new approach. Funding sources expect
programs to be relevant to the community and useful to clients and client
As a result, service providers are increasingly interested in knowing
more about how their clients view their services and programs. Focus
groups can provide information and insights about the perceptions, opinions,
feelings, and attitudes of clients or potential clients towards certain
products and services. The value of the information is that it allows
professionals to see reality from their clients' point of view.
Focus groups can be used to provide information to decisionmakers about
how specific activities, programs, and services are perceived by different
customers. The groups can be held before, during or after the program
or service is provided.
Before the program begins, focus groups can be used in planning, needs
assessment, assets analysis, program design or market research. They
are useful for recruiting clients to an existing program(s) and testing
a program(s) that is underway. After the program is completed, the meetings
are valuable for program assessments and evaluations. Should they be
curtailed, continued as planned, modified or expanded?
of focus groups
Focus group results generally have what is known as high "face-value"
validity because participants' comments sound so believable. In fact,
the results may appear so believable that the researcher's tendency
is to rush out and put the focus group's recommendations into action
without further investigation. The best plan is to wait and, before
adopting specific programmatic strategies, take the time to do additional
research and look for back-up of the results in the literature.
Another risk is using focus group data to generalize to a larger population.
Remember that the group of participants, also known as the sample, does
not necessarily reflect the entire population. For that reason, critics
say that focus groups are merely an exploratory research tool. For an
organization, the real question is: are the data credible enough to
use in making decisions?
when using focus groups as a research tool
If you must make generalizations from focus group data alone, make cautious
ones. With so few members of each population in each focus group, it
is not possible to draw enormous conclusions from this type of research.
If you are making large and important decisions where consequences of
error are great, then research the topic from several directions; conduct
multiple focus groups and use other sources of information as well.
If you do need to make generalizations from data, make them within the
same populations that made up the focus groups.
Whether or not you have a background in scientific research, it is still
important that the focus group method be treated as seriously as any
other research tool. Focus groups can get you all the information you
need as long as adequate preparation is made. The key is to make sure
you know what you want and identify your goals as specifically as possible.
and disadvantages of focus groups
- Focus groups
can provide speedy results. You can conduct a concentrated series of
discussions in a very short span of time.
- You can
do research cheaply and quickly; focus group discussions are low in
cost and relatively easy to conduct.
- Focus groups
provide a structured opportunity to collect data from group interaction;
this is a socially oriented research procedure and people are social
creatures who like to talk with each other. The environment sparks candor.
- The discussion
format allows the moderator to dig deeper into the topic if desired.
This flexibility to explore is not possible with more structured research
tools such as mail-out surveys.
- For the
researcher, the technique is easily understood and the results seem
believable. Results do not have to be presented on complicated statistical
charts but can be shared using everyday language, with quotes from group
- It is possible
to increase the sample size of this qualitative research method without
a dramatic increase in time on the part of the moderator.
- Focus groups
are appropriate for preliminary research to prepare for specific issues
on a larger project. The method has the capability to explore topics
and generate hypotheses.
- The moderator
has less control in the group than in an individual interview. Because
individual group members can influence the course of discussion, it
is not always possible to know if data reflect the behavior and perceptions
of individual participants or the group.
focus groups are held in an arranged or controlled setting, participants
may behave differently than in private interviews, and this may affect
what is expressed.
- Data are
difficult to analyze. Be careful not to lift comments out of context
or sequence or come to premature conclusions.
- The technique
requires carefully trained interviewers. While an untrained moderator
can achieve remarkable results it is far better to influence the odds
by using skilled people.
each focus group is different and has its own characteristic, you must
take each group on its own terms; there is no cookbook method for working
with the groups.
on the available staff support, recruiting participants can be a difficult
and time consuming process.
- The discussion
must be conducted in an environment that is conducive to con-versation.
To attract the types of people you want, you may need to provide incentives
to ensure that participants will come to the meeting.
of the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Plan Project
and how the project was put together
This book was written as an outgrowth of Project Maine Families, charged
with "developing a Comprehensive Community-based Child Abuse and
Neglect Prevention Plan," which used focus groups as one critical
kind of research methodology.
When it comes to child abuse and neglect, the media and the public tend
to concentrate on the child at risk after the abuse or neglect incident
has occurred. Among social service organizations, there is growing recognition
that steps should be taken to prevent child abuse and neglect rather
than continuing to develop more treatment programs. In addition, there
is a new recognition of the importance of supporting the family's development
by having ongoing services available rather than merely crisis-oriented
This new perspective on services needed by the family is known collectively
as the family support movement. Family support programs provide services
to families that empower and strengthen the adults in their roles as
parents, nurturers, and providers. Stated simply, the programs emphasize
the need to enhance the capacity of parents in their child-rearing roles,
create settings in which parents are empowered to act on their own behalf
and become advocates for change, and provide a community resource for
parents. Family support activities usually include such elements as
parent education and support groups, information and referral services,
drop-in centers, and child care.
What is central to family support programs is the focus on prevention
rather than treatment, the recognition of the benefits of support through
the creation of networks, and the marked change from a child-centered
orientation to one that includes the child, the family, and the community
in its program design.
Service provider organizations in Maine's Franklin and Cumberland Counties
were interested in developing programs that strengthened and empowered
the family, with the specific goal of reducing the risk of child abuse
and neglect. The program idea for the Comprehensive Community-based
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Plan originated with Lucky Hollander,
Cumberland County Child Abuse and Neglect Council, and Helaine Hornby,
National Child Welfare Resource Center for Management and Administration
(NCWRC), at the University of Southern Maine. Participating service
providers were the Cumberland County Child Abuse and Neglect Council
and the Franklin County Children's Task Force.
The program's aims are to address the prevention needs of the community,
find ways significantly to reduce the number of children at risk, and
reduce the circumstances and behavior that put families at risk. Project
funding came in the form of a $1 million five-year grant from the National
Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, of the United States Department of
Health and Human Services. The funds are to be used to assess community
needs, analyze current services, and develop programs for all families,
particularly those who are high-risk candidates for abuse and neglect.
The long-range goal of the project is to develop model comprehensive
community-based child abuse and neglect prevention plans for Cumberland
and Franklin Counties. The programs within that plan will be designed
to assure the physical and emotional well-being of children, support
the family as a nurturing and sustaining force, and help parents to
raise children more effectively.
The series of focus groups conducted by the sponsoring organizations
in Cumberland County and Franklin County represent only one step in
developing these community-based plans. One of the central questions
was what family support programs designed to reduce child abuse and
neglect would need to look like to meet the needs of parents in Maine.
Focus groups allowed the sponsoring organizations to go directly to
the parents to find the answers.
Developing the community-based plan -- how focus groups fit in
The strategy used in the pilot project emphasized broadbased community
participation in planning and implementation. The underlying belief
was that it is important to push ownership out into the community, and
to bring community stakeholders into the decisionmaking process: parents,
service providers, schools, local government and community leaders,
and employers. The techniques used to achieve these goals are those
employed, until recently, only in the private sector -- market segmentation,
focus groups, and marketing analysis. The steps are summarized as follows:
- Define the
community in terms of geography, demographic characteristics, culture
and social institutions
and define targeted populations and their needs
an inventory of existing resources
possible strategies in light of needs and available resources
- Plan programs
and services and develop messages and educational themes based on these
- Pursue funding
for plan implementation
Data sources for project
Step 2 (above) incorporated the focus group discussions with different
types of parents. This series of meetings was only one element of the
data collection process. Other project data sources included:
analysis of the county
of community programs and services
- Review of
- Search for
information about innovative efforts, model programs and available funding
Of those sources, project staff gathered the following data prior to
holding the focus groups:
Demographic research -- Staff compiled demographic data from existing
sources and produced a report, Child Abuse Prevention: Demographic and
Risk Indicators, summarizing data for Cumberland and Franklin Counties.
The report presents demographic information in terms of the risk factors
associated with the increased likelihood of child abuse and neglect.
Community survey -- Staff conducted phone and personal interviews with
randomly selected individuals from businesses, schools, churches, daycare
centers, and social service agencies in both counties.
The survey posed the questions: What do you think are the major concerns
facing families today? What programs and services do you currently provide
to families? Are any of these services related to the prevention of
What emerged from the survey was the major need: family support in several
different forms such as child care and parenting workshops. It also
helped to identify high-risk parent groups within the community: working
parents, low-income parents, teenage parents, and single parents. Staff
used these survey results to select the target populations for the focus
Overview of the project's focus group process
Cumberland County organized and conducted nine focus group discussions
during December 1990 and January 1991 with a total of 58 participants.
Franklin County organized and conducted the same number of group discussions
during the same time period with a total of 65 participants.
Three parent types were targeted for the focus groups in Cumberland
County: teenage parents, new parents, and working parents. In Franklin
County, the three groups selected were low-income (including teenage
parents), new parents, and working parents. All discussions were led
by the same moderator from the National Child Welfare Resource Center.
Participants were asked to focus on several topic areas: problems their
parents faced raising families; problems they currently encounter raising
their families; needed or missing services; and ideas and suggestions
for program and service delivery. At the end of each discussion, a list
of 20 previously developed program/service ideas was distributed and
participants were invited to choose their five favorites. Participants
were invited to add programs to the list if they wanted, although these
were not included in the ranking.
Discussion questions and program listings were developed through a collaboration
between staff from the National Child Welfare Resource Center and the
sponsoring organizations in Cumberland and Franklin Counties.
focus groups in a rural community
Even though Maine is generally considered to be a rural state, there
are cultural differences, relatively speaking, between Cumberland and
Franklin Counties. In comparison to Franklin County and the rest of
the state, Cumberland can be considered urban. Franklin County is more
representative of a rural culture. Some typical characteristics of a
rural culture can best be described as follows:
- People generally
keep their problems to themselves or within the family; they don't talk
about them to outsiders.
- There is
a stigma to being on welfare.
- People are
often wary of those outside the community.
- It's not
just what you do, it's who you are as a person that counts in the community.
ties are generally strong.
for services is often achieved through an exchange or barter of resources,
rather than cash.
The rural philosophy inherent in small, isolated communities in states
like Maine can color the entire process in a project such as this. The
attitudes inherent in such a culture can have a direct impact on choosing
a moderator, selecting a site, and recruiting participants. The organizers
in Franklin County took these opinions and beliefs into consideration
throughout the study. These impacts will be noted throughout the book.
staff wanted from focus groups
The reason staff chose focus groups as a research method is that they
wanted parents to know that they see them as the experts. Staff did
not want to direct parents' opinions, but to learn from them.
There is sometimes a tendency among social service providers to "know"
what to do for their clients, to "know" what their clients
need and to lecture on those subjects. The focus group philosophy emphasizes
starting with what the consumer says and then seeing what the experts
say. In this case, focus groups provided an opportunity to find out
what parents say they need instead of what human service providers say
This method lets potential consumers of the program design the program.
They have the opportunity to state what the community needs, how that
program should be structured and how it should be delivered. The questions
that need to be answered: What are the problems in the community? What
are the common issues? What are the needs? What services are currently
available? Where are the gaps? Which gap should be filled first?
Focus groups can be very empowering because they give people the opportunity
to say what they need. Low-income people in particular are often made
to feel that they are resource-poor, value-poor, strength-poor. They
are taught that they don't have anything to give, that all they can
do is take. The structure of the focus group gives participants the
opportunity to realize that they have talents, skills, and resources
when using focus groups
- Make sure
that the number of people in the sample group is large enough so that
the conclusions have credibility. Recognize that there is a risk in
relying on information gathered from too small a sample size.
- Hold as
many focus groups as you have the time, staff, and opportunity to conduct
in order to obtain as much information from as many people as possible.
- Select a
skilled moderator from outside the sponsoring organization.
- Allow plenty
of time to conduct the series of meetings; don't try to do too many
focus groups in too short a time.
- Pay attention
to the logistics of the planning process.
for the Focus Group Meetings
When used as a research tool, focus groups demand the same attention
to detail as any other means of data collection. Prior experience in
conducting focus groups is not necessary but careful planning is critical.
Planning keeps the project on target and increases the odds that you
will arrive at your intended destination within time and budget guidelines.
Remember that the quality of data equals the quality of preparation.
planning for focus groups
Keep these steps in mind:
- When deciding
whether to conduct focus groups, first determine the type of information
needed to address the problem. Ask these questions: Who wants the information?
How will it be used? What particular information is needed?
what other research methods are available and decide which would be
appropriate for the project. Examples of other research methods include
mail-in questionnaires, phone interviews, or individual in-person interviews.
those individuals who have a stake in the study. Identify who will use
the information. Ask the decisionmakers to describe their vision of
the end result and how the information will be used.
- Define who
the clients will be in the study. That information could be provided
by organizational decisionmakers, program and service providers, customers
and clients who use the program, or potential clients.
a written plan of action and estimate resources, procedures to be followed,
the timeline and budget. The value of the plan is that it forces you
to think through the steps in a logical manner, allows for feedback,
and ensures that adequate resources and time are available to obtain
the information. Have the plan reviewed to identify the aspects that
are illogical, impractical or unclear.
a timeline, including identified tasks, dates of milestone events and
staff responsibilities: and a fiscal plan, detailing the amount of time,
effort and money required. Examples of budget items include moderator's
salary, mileage, research site rental, payment to participants, and
Developing the questions
Questions are the heart of the focus group interview. The quality of
the participants' answers is directly connected to the quality of the
questions. Although the questions may appear to be spontaneous to the
participants, the truth is they have been carefully selected and ordered
in advance to gather the maximum amount of information.
When you're drawing up the final sequence of questions, remember that
the same questions will be asked of all of the groups, to maintain consistency
and to support the data analysis process. The usual number of questions
is less than ten, more often four or five. Some recommendations:
questions carefully and get plenty of feedback in advance of the first
questions in a sequence that will seem logical to the participants;
move from the general to the specific.
- Use open-ended
questions; avoid yes/no questions.
is rarely asked in focus groups because it implies that there is a right
answer. Better to ask what or how participants feel about the topic.
- Make sure
the questions are presented in context. This can be accomplished through
the moderator's introduction at the beginning of the discussion.
a core staff group to review and finalize questions
the Maine focus group project, one staff member who had prior
experience with focus groups drew up a preliminary list of
questions. Everyone on the team reviewed the list and made
recommendations for revisions to this first draft. It was
a back-and-forth process. You need to have a core group willing
to make those decisions.
Questions for the Focus Groups
you were growing up, what do you think were the hardest things
about being a parent? What kinds of problems and needs did
parents have then? Where could people turn to for help, if
they needed to do that? How did these problems get solved,
if they did?
let's consider being a parent today in ______________ County,
Maine. Is it harder or easier raising kids here than it used
to be? What kinds of problems do you think parents have now,
particularly parents in your circumstances (i.e., of newborns,
teen parents, working parent families, etc.)? How do people
handle problems like that today? Is that the best way(s) to
solve the problems parents have?
like to find out more about this community. Suppose a friend
of yours wanted to ask someone for advice about how to handle
a problem with one of their children. Let's say that the problem
was that they just couldn't get their child to stop talking
back to them, and wanted some tips on what they might do about
that. Who would you suggest they talk to? Where could they
missing that parents need or could use in raising families?
What gets in the way of making these things available, in
your opinion? If such things were available, would you use
them yourself? Do you know other parents who would?
you think about what parents need in this community, where
do you believe these things should come from? What kinds of
people and organizations should provide them? What are the
reasons they ought to take the lead? How would you organize
something like that? Where would you start? Who needs to be
Deciding on the numbers
One of the big questions is how many focus groups should you hold? To
answer that question, look at the number of population subgroups you
are studying. The more populations you are targeting, the more group
meetings you will need in total.
A minimum is three groups for each population. If time is not an issue,
continue holding focus groups until no new information is being provided.
The ideal group size numbers six to ten people, with a minimum of four
and a maximum of twelve. When there are so many people in the group
that people start to whisper to each other, the group is too big. The
rule of thumb when recruiting is to over-recruit by 20 percent to make
sure enough people attend. Too small a group runs the risk of being
less productive in terms of the information gathered and the time and
money spent by you.
Locating the site
The meeting site must balance the needs of the participants and the
researcher. The possible locations are many and varied: the researcher's
office, a participant's home, or a rented site.
The environment should be as neutral as possible. Avoid places with
visual or audio distractions. For many people, schools or church basements
are not neutral environments; although in a rural community the church
basement may be a recognized gathering place.
The focus group location must be easy to find. Transportation may be
a problem for some participants. If possible, locate the site near public
transportation or arrange for carpooling.
When setting up the room for the meeting, arrange the chairs so that
people are facing each other. Having everyone seated around a table
is even more desirable. It is important for everyone in the room to
have eye contact.
Banning smoking during the meeting is usually the best option; however,
do make provisions for people who smoke.
Establishing the responsibilities of the project team
- A skillful
moderator is essential for a successful focus group. There is a big
difference between an interviewer and a moderator. Think of the moderator
as a gatherer of information, a listener, a guide for discussion. The
same moderator should conduct all sessions (this aids in the data analysis
process). When selecting a moderator, identify someone who is not personally
invested in the study. The moderator needs a detached perspective.
Focus group interviewing looks simple but it requires mental discipline,
preparation, group interaction skills, concentration, and careful listening.
The sequence of topic questions should be memorized. The moderator needs
to be able to listen and think simultaneously. This can be difficult
and fatiguing work; it is a good idea not to conduct more than two focus
groups on the same day.
The main job of the moderator is to make the participants feel comfortable
so that they will be able to speak freely. Attributes of a successful
moderator include the following:
- Be comfortable
and familiar with group dynamics and different kinds of groups.
- Have a sense
of timing and humor.
- Be a good
- Be able
to exert control over the group without seeming to do so.
- Have enough
background knowledge of the topic to follow up on areas of concern within
clearly and precisely. It is very important that the moderator use everyday
language understandable to the group to describe the program and its
- Appear like
the participants in dress and manner. Some people recommend a male moderator
if the participants are all men and a female moderator if they are all
When it comes to the recommended level of involvement for the moderator,
follow this guide. A low level of involvement is generally appropriate
if the goal is to learn something new. Let group members speak for themselves.
The results need to reflect what the participants, not the moderator,
think is important.
a moderator for groups held in rural communities
a rural community, it is important that the moderator be someone
from outside the community so people can feel free to talk.
However, the moderator also needs to be someone people can
identify with. Teenage parents, for example, respond to people
leading programs who look like them. Low-income residents
are wary of people with degrees and three-piece suits.
The group's perception of the moderator is key, especially
in a rural setting where the culture demands that people fit
in and not appear to be better than anybody else. The choice
of the moderator must reflect this ingrained belief.
In addition to the moderator, each focus group must have a recorder.
The job is to take thorough field notes and operate the tape recorder
if the session is being taped. The transcribed notes are essential in
recreating the group meetings. If possible, it may be helpful for the
recorder to include in the transcript a record of not just the words
but also any observed body language, nonverbal cues, and other group
dynamics. Keep in mind that this activity is a very subjective task;
it is easy to let personal attitudes slip in while recording the participants'
- It is also
beneficial, although not necessary, to have an observer(s) in the group.
The primary responsibility of the observer is to watch participants
for nonverbal cues, body language, and other distinguishing features
of the discussion that might not be noted by the recorder. This individual
can serve as another pair of eyes and ears for the moderator and can
be a very positive addition to the project team.
the Maine focus group project staff put together a team
developed a project team consisting of a moderator, a recorder,
and observers drawn from the sponsoring organizations. There
were real advantages to having both a recorder and observers.
The recorder could take notes, operate the tape recorder,
and respond to unexpected interruptions in the room. The observers
were free to observe body language and other nonverbal cues
throughout the session, as well as serve as a back-up to the
recorder. Although both of these roles are sometimes not filled
due to the extra staff time and cost involved, their presence
can be worth the investment.
In addition, the project benefited from the fact that the
observers had a background in social service, and were trained
in observing and detecting cues that might not be recorded
in the transcripts. Staff were able to gain real insight into
the participants' comments by reviewing and integrating the
transcripts and the notes taken by the observers.
Recording the meetings
The best methods for recording the sessions are by tape recorder and/or
by handwritten notes. It is a good idea in any case to take notes --
tape recorders have been known to break down in the middle of the meeting.
There is benefit to using a tape recorder if it can be done in a non-threatening
way and if participants agree to its use. No amount of accuracy in transcription
will ever substitute for listening to the participants' comments on
tape. Using a tape recorder gives researchers the option of listening
not only to what was said but also to how the exchanges were made. The
staff member taking notes can't always get down how something is said,
and it is difficult not to interpret information.
If staff decide to use a tape recorder, tell participants ahead of time
that the meeting will be taped and set the recorder up in plain sight.
Many participants may anticipate that the discussions will be taped.
Tape recording group conversations is difficult. Check to see if additional
microphones are needed and how best to place them. Don't wait until
after the meeting is over to check if the tape recorder worked. Check
unobtrusively several times during the meeting to see that the tape
Videotaping the focus group meetings is not recommended. It is expensive,
intrusive, and useful only for identifying who is saying what to whom.
Arranging for childcare and refreshments
Depending on the population you are trying to attract in the focus groups,
offering childcare can be an important incentive in getting people to
participate. If you are providing childcare, make sure children can
stay in a room near the meeting but that they are out of sight and sound
of their mothers and/or fathers. Having children remain in the room
creates too much distraction and confusion.
If your budget permits, it is a nice idea to serve a meal or have snacks,
coffee, and cold drinks available during the meeting. Snacks could be
cheese and crackers, fruit, and popcorn, and cereal for children.
Recruiting the participants
The goal when you are recruiting participants is to create homogeneity
in each group, but only in background, not in attitude. Homogeneity
can be established by grouping people by education, occupation, age,
or family characteristics. If the topic is experienced differently by
each sex, it is not a good idea to mix the sexes. Nor is it a good idea
to have husbands, wives, relatives, or friends in the same group.
Participants you recruit should have something to say about the topic
and should feel comfortable saying it to each other; wide gaps in background
or life style can defeat this. You can not ask people to talk about
issues they are not used to discussing in public with people they are
not comfortable with.
Recruiting participants does take effort. Determine at the beginning
who your target audiences are and if you will do any preliminary screening
of people. Remember that the participants will not be representative
of the larger population. Rather, they should be selected from population
segments that are going to provide you with the most meaningful data.
Keep in mind that the objectives of the study are the determining factors
when you are deciding which populations to invite.
Here are some recommended methods for finding participants:
- Seek existing
lists within the sponsoring organization(s) such as mailing lists or
- Obtain names
from other agencies or organizations.
- Obtain names
from participants in other focus groups.
- Do random
- Run announcements
in community papers and newsletters.
- Post notices
on bulletin boards in selected agencies, businesses and organizations.
In general, the response will be higher if you can make the invitations
as personalized as possible. When you invite people, make them feel
that the study is important and that their presence and contribution
are important. It is very important to guarantee confidentiality to
the participants throughout the process.
Attendance will be greater if you follow up on the invitation by phone
or mail and offer incentives for participation. If participants with
children are one of the target groups, let them know whether or not
child care will be provided during the meeting. This information may
mean the difference between a yes and a no.
Be on the alert when conducting focus groups within already established
groups, for example, within companies or organizations. The focus group
technique in this setting works well only when all the participants
are at the same level within the organization. Do not include supervisors
or bosses in the same group with workers who report to them.
Too much information ahead of time about the study's sponsor or its
purpose may bias the participants' responses. Make sure that all of
your advance information to the participants is consistent. Answer all
questions but answer in general and neutral terms. There is no need
to provide details.
in urban and rural areas
In Maine, different approaches were used for recruiting participants
in urban and rural areas.
recruiting people, make sure you find people who have
the information you want. If you are working with a large
population, like you would find in an urban area, try
targeting the populations on a smaller scale; different
degrees of "urban" living can be found in Portland,
Freeport, and Gray, for example. Get as specific as you
can in defining the population you are seeking. Because
staff resources were limited, there were several populations
that were not included in this project: single parents,
parents of early adolescents, and parents of very young
To solicit participants, an ad was placed in the newspaper,
and notices posted on bulletin boards in schools and day
care centers. The notices mentioned the incentives, including
day care, transportation (if needed), and $20 payment
The first phone contact with the participants is extremely
important; be as organized and as personal as possible.
Often this call sets the tone for all subsequent communication.
Working and first-time parents responded to the invitation
but it was difficult to recruit teenage parents. They
were uncomfortable being seen as the expert and also afraid
that they would say something during the meeting that
would get them into trouble with the authorities.
Do not assume that the participants will show up. Follow-up
is important: call a few days ahead of the meeting to
remind participants; make a final call on the day of the
meeting to confirm that they are planning to attend.
Franklin County (rural)
and beyond the three parent groups we selected, we would
have liked to include other parent populations whose perspective
would contribute to the project, such as step-parents,
single parents, parents of special needs children, parents
already in the social service systems, and parents of
adolescents. With our limited staff, the target populations
had to be limited to the three parent groups.
The absence of public transportation to the meetings hit
teens and low-income parents the hardest. Staff picked
up and dropped off teen parents, and anyone else who needed
a ride. Even if your meetings are held in an urban area,
you could offer rides or vouchers for public transportation.
In a rural community, you can get a good response by contacting
people by word of mouth or placing a notice in the community
paper. Because Franklin County did not have an extensive
staff support system, staff identified service providers
working with these populations who could serve as "recruiters."
Personnel directors helped us reach working parents (our
focus groups for working parents were conducted at the
workplace); social service providers helped us contact
low-income parents; and new parents were located through
nursery schools and day care centers.
After the participants accepted the invitation to attend,
confirmation letters were sent by way of the recruiters.
They then followed up the letter with a phone call. Because
the recruiters were people the participants already knew
and trusted, this relationship was of real benefit during
recruiting. To maintain confidentiality, staff did not
have direct contact with the participants ahead of time.
Coffee and doughnuts were available during the meetings.
Twenty dollars was offered to each participant as compensation.
It was also important that child care be provided during
The scheduled meeting time was generally from 6:30 PM
to 8:30 PM. Bad weather created a serious obstacle for
high attendance; there was a low turnout during winter
storms. The time of day can be important. Teenage parents,
for example, could only meet during the day.
the Focus Group Meetings
the meeting begins
When participants arrive, have the moderator and other staff people
greet them and make them feel welcome. It is important to create a warm,
friendly environment, much like a home, and put the participants at
ease. Avoid discussing any of the issues that will be discussed in the
If possible, during this period, the moderator can take the opportunity
to observe the group and identify talkers, quiet members, and any self-proclaimed
experts, so that the group can be positioned in the circle accordingly.
Talkers should be seated next to the moderator, with the shyer members
seated across from the moderator. This positioning gives the moderator
the opportunity to use body language and eye contact to encourage or
discourage discussion. Even better is to work ahead of time to identify
people who might be talkers so they can be distributed among the groups.
The statistics describing who in the group will want to talk and who
won't usually breaks down to 40 percent who are eager to share, 40 percent
who are willing to talk if the situation presents itself, and 20 percent
who rarely share.
How the meeting works
In the introduction before the focus group gets underway, one of the
most helpful statements is for the moderator to tell participants that
he or she is there to learn from them. Almost anyone will respond to
a moderator who wants to hear about their problems and opinions, and
listen to their experiences.
Before getting started, each participant could make an opening statement
of an autobiographical nature. This step serves as an icebreaker and
accomplishes two things: it gives basic information about everyone in
the group and lets participants know that each person is coming from
a different place with a different perspective and that that is alright.
In beginning the discussion, the moderator must provide ground rules
and set the tone for the discussion by letting participants know that
they are free to speak their mind. The goal is to strike a balance between
excessive formality and excessive informality. The recommended sequence
at the beginning: the welcome, the introduction to the topic and any
necessary background, the ground rules, and the first question.
During the meeting, the moderator should keep in mind the following
- Direct the
discussion toward concrete, detailed accounts of each participant's
experiences. Draw out the observations that reflect the person's direct
experience with the topic.
- Direct discussion
away from vague generalizations. Make an attempt to involve all of the
participants in the discussion. People will usually join in if the discussion
is about personal experience.
Two essential techniques that can be used during the discussion are
the five-second pause (used after a comment to prompt additional points
of view or agreement) and the direct request for additional information,
also known as the probe. Both are easy to use and very helpful in soliciting
The moderator (as well as other staff in the room) should avoid any
verbal or body cues such as head nodding or statements implying that
there is a right or wrong answer. Keep your gestures and other body
language and comments neutral.
Types in the group to be prepared for are the expert, the dominating
talker, the shy participant, the rambler, the "needy" person,
the community recovery expert, and the "confessor to all bad things."
Each of these types can upset the balance of the discussion. Don't hesitate
to intervene and bring the conversation back to the question at hand.
The length of the focus group should be no more than two hours. It is
important to adhere to this schedule. If a good but unplanned for question
occurs to you, wait until the end of the meeting so as not to throw
off the schedule. The moderator must keep track of the remaining meeting
time without seeming to do so.
the meeting is over
Make sure a resource person is available in the room to answer any questions
that may have come up for participants during the focus group. It is
important that someone be available to chat with the participants, on
The project team should hold a post-meeting discussion to compare notes.
Check to make sure that the tape recorder worked, and that there are
no gaps in the notes that were taken.
To prepare for the data review step, a designated member of the project
team should go back through the notes and the tape and prepare a written
summary for review by the team members. This step should be completed
before the next focus group is held. If there is disagreement on certain
issues, these can be discussed while the meeting is still fresh in everyone's
minds. This review step helps to guarantee that the project team members
can reach agreement on the findings and interpretations of that meeting
as indicated in the transcript.
Call each participant a few days later to thank them and give them a
chance to contribute any additional thoughts. In addition, send them
thank-you notes. Taking the time to maintain a relationship may be helpful
in case you want to contact the person again for any follow-up or to
participate in another focus group.
few recommendations if you are thinking about using a program
and services ranking sheet --
each focus group meeting in Maine, staff asked participants
to respond to a list of 20 programs and services by ranking
the top five that they would use or that they believed were
needed in their county. Our experience was that what people
said during the focus group and what they filled out on the
ranking sheet did not always correspond. This made it difficult
during the data review process to make connections between
the opinions expressed and the order of services requested.
Site Name ___________________________________________________________
Meeting Date ______________________________ _____ AM _____PM
Please pick the five programs you think are most important.
Put a check next to the programs you select. You do not need
to rank the ones you choose.
___1. Places in a neighborhood where parents can go to get
information about raising children.
___2. Programs where professionals or volunteers make regular
visits to parents' homes.
___3. Groups where parents can meet other parents to talk
about raising children and give each other support.
___4. Classes that teach about raising children and family
___5. Parent-to-parent programs where a parent can be matched
up with another more experienced parent who can provide help
___6. Programs in which children are matched up with an older,
experienced adult who can spend time with them.
___7. Mobile vans that travel through a community and set
up information stands at public places like shopping malls,
___8. Places that parents can reach by telephone to talk to
someone about raising children.
___9. Day care services.
___10. Information provided in the hospital for first-time
___11. TV programs and video and audio cassettes that teach
about raising children.
___12. Printed material and newspaper articles that give information
about raising children.
___13. Places parents can go for advice when they are trying
to raise children and hold a job.
___14. Flexible work schedules on the job for working parents.
___15. Information and advice about raising children provided
at the workplace.
___16. Programs to help teachers and parents talk to one another
about how children are doing.
___17. Places where parents can drop off children for a few
hours or so.
___18. Places pregnant women can go for information and advice.
___19. Places where parents and family members can go for
professional help and guidance.
___20. Opportunities for all family members to be together
to work on projects and common problems.
Nonetheless, the ranking sheet is a useful tool. We suggest
the following recommendations for people wishing to develop
a similar ranking sheet:
as specific as possible; include actual programs as well as
proposed programs. Also ask the participants to identify three
programs they would never use.
a close look at any potential program ideas brought out in
the focus group discussion but not included on the list.
different lists of programs for different parent groups. Make
sure the program choices are tied as specifically as possible
to the targeted groups. Not all categories (working parents,
low-income parents, etc.) have the same needs or define needs
in the same way.
parent groups are interested in basic needs like money and
housing and are not ready for programs. It is better to ask
those groups what programs would be useful if those basic
needs were met.
the time to test the responses to the focus group questions
and to the program descriptions on the questionnaire ahead
people in your office, for example, to do a mock focus group.
If their answers do not correspond in any way to the program
descriptions, you may want to consider modifying the descriptions.
The closer the answers to these two correspond, the stronger
your data analysis results will be.
One more recommendation: develop a brief questionnaire to
capture participants' reactions to the focus group meeting
itself. Staff did not solicit their reaction because of a
hesitancy to ask too much from participants. That turned out
not to be a valid concern.
testing the focus group
The first focus group interview can easily serve as a pilot for the
series. After the first meeting, reflect again on the wording and sequencing
of the questions. Give consideration to such factors as the location,
room arrangement, mix of participants, and the moderator's approach.
If major changes are made, then the results of the first focus group
are set aside and not used. If no changes are made, then this first
focus group can be included with the others.
Be prepared for the problems that can arise:
- Too many
- The moderator
can't finish all the questions during the time allowed for the meeting.
- The participants
perceive the moderator as being too much of an expert.
- No one shows
- Only a few
people show up.
- The meeting
place has problems.
- No one in
the group wants to talk.
- The group
doesn't want to stop talking.
- Bad weather
on the day of the meeting.
won't get settled and become a distraction.
or inappropriate participants.
- The group
gets stuck on the same topic.
The best mechanisms for creating successful focus groups
thorough planning and follow-through
- good questions
in the room can make eye contact with each other
- twelve or
fewer people in the group
- child care
Together the Results: Analyzing the Data
For a public sector organization, the data analysis process can seem
overwhelming. The best place to begin is by going back to the original
intent of the study. Remember that the problem drives the analysis.
If possible, the moderator or the observer(s) should conduct the review
and analysis of the data.
Analyzing the results of qualitative research can be complex. In quantitative
research, the results come out the same every time because you are dealing
with numbers. With focus groups, the complexity occurs because you are
dealing with people. When different people answer the same questions,
they use different words. In conducting the analysis, you need to consider
how to compare different answers. For example, were the words similar,
what was the context, what was the emphasis or intensity of the comment.
Analysis is like detective work. You need to look for clues, trends
and patterns that appear and reappear in the transcripts. The goal is
to prepare a statement of what was found, supported by the available
evidence. Identify evidence that repeats and is common to several participants.
The report must present the range and diversity of the participants'
experiences and perceptions. In the report, you can also include any
information gathered through other research to back up the results of
the focus groups.
Analysis begins with the transcripts, the raw data gathered from the
focus groups through a tape recorder and/or field notes. A few recommendations
when transcribing tapes:
- Edit messy
quotations; just make sure you capture the intended meaning of the speaker.
communication within the group can be missed if you rely solely on the
transcripts. Be attentive to the enthusiasm of the group, the spontaneity,
the body language, and other nonverbal cues. This information should
be in the field notes.
and percentages are generally not appropriate for focus group research.
Using numbers implies that the conclusions can be projected to a population
and this is not the case with qualitative research. Instead, use phrases
such as "several participants felt strongly" or "most
of the participants agreed that..."
it is appropriate to use numbers when tabulating any questionnaires
or ranking sheets, as long as sources are referenced.
The next step is to develop summary statements of the transcripts. Out
of this process comes the interpretation, which takes into account the
summary statements and field notes as well as such factors as the intensity
of participant comments, specific examples given, and the consistency
of statements. Questions to ask during this stage of the review process:
do the questions and answers relate? If you used ranking sheets or questionnaires,
for example, do the program choices relate to the questions, the answers
It is appropriate at this point to offer a word of caution to the data
review-er(s): beware of seeing only the aspects of the discussion that
confirm your particular point of view. Your history with the topic,
your expectations of what people will say and your personal opinions
can create a noisy backdrop for the analysis. Always make sure you are
factoring out your own opinions and conclusions.
Here is a recommended sequence of steps to follow during the review
- Read the
summaries of all of the focus groups at one sitting and make notes on
trends and patterns.
- Read all
- Listen to
the tapes or read the transcripts concentrating on one issue or one
question at a time, giving consideration to these five factors:
- the actual
words used and their meaning
- the context:
because of the limitations of written transcripts, listen to the tapes
(if available) to capture the tone and intensity of the comments
- the internal
consistency: did participants seem to understand the questions?
- the specificity
of responses: give more weight to specific or personal answers than
to vague or impersonal answers
- the big
the purpose of the report; reflect back on the project goals and the
information that will be needed by the decisionmakers. The format and
scope of the final report will help to guide the analysis process.
the data: one organization's experience
may be too strong a word for the data review process undertaken
by the Maine focus group project. The goal was to spot trigger
points and identify trends. The observers at the focus groups
served as the data analysts because they had been present
but were not as involved as the moderator had been. The
transcripts were reviewed to identify the prominent ideas
and comments and how many times these different topics were
raised. The data review and synthesis consisted of a step-by-step
made by different parent types were compared in three main
strategies such as the nature of the proposed intervention,
possible sponsors and lead organizations, and delivery
reviewers determined the extent to which the different parent
types shared a common perception of these matters. Staff
identified and accounted for variations among the types.
Ideas or comments that were frequently mentioned and strategies
that appeared promising were selected for further analysis.
made during the community assessment survey were compared
to statements made in the focus groups. The reviewers considered
the availability of existing resources and programs and
services needed to address the problems identified in both.
search was made for areas of agreement among parent types
and between parents and community survey respondents,
and explanations were generated for the variations.
Some of the questions asked during the community survey
should have paralleled those asked during the focus groups.
Because the questions were different, it was difficult
to tie the two data groups together.
data were examined to identify target populations (such
as families in poverty, mothers under 20); and problem incidence
(such as family violence, teen pregnancy); and strategic
alternatives were reviewed in light of these considerations.
major issues that emerged from this project were identified
and then compared to the major issues identified in other
populations, national trends, and national literature.
Remember that careful data gathering and analysis, and the
consistency of data, are all critical factors when it comes
to using data to develop program recommendations. These
data represent the justification for the proposed program
or service. When you are making a request for funding, it
is vital that you can present this kind of information to
funding sources to back up your request.
We Learned at the Meetings
As we have seen, the focused discussions in Cumberland and Franklin
Counties were organized into five topic areas. All five areas were addressed
in every group meeting, although the degree of interest and discussion
generated around any one of them varied from group to group.
Topics 1 - What was it like being a parent when you were a child? -
and 2 - What's it like now? - were intended to stimulate conversation,
get participants comfortable talking with each other, and establish
a foundation for the discussion of problems and service needs that came
later. The third topic area - What would you say to a friend in crisis?
- served as a bridge from the anecdotal phase of the discussions to
the more searching look at problems and needs in each respective community.
The list of program ideas was distributed at the very end, after the
meetings had concluded. Participants selected their priority programs
on the spot, before leaving the meeting places.
Participant responses for the first three topic areas are not sorted
by locale or participant type. Responses were vigorous and lively at
all the meetings, but they followed no specific pattern that can be
related to where participants lived or what the current circumstances
of their parenting were when the meetings were held. In all the groups,
certain respondents remembered financial issues as being among the most
problemmatic for their parents. Those who had themselves grown up in
single parent families, or in families in which fathers worked long
hours or were absent for extended periods, remembered their mother's
isolation. The taboo against seeking help outside the family framework
was a frequent theme of discussions about the past. People who raised
this issue would usually also suggest that this meant that families
tended to put faces on their problems more than they do now, covering
up their problems or refusing to acknowledge them even within the family
Other participants suggested that it was easier to raise families when
they were children; drug use was not so widespread, people were more
likely to accept community standards and values, relatives were more
willing to step in and lend a hand, people weren't so separated from
the places where families had established themselves as they are today.
Many participants expressed the feeling that children are more at physical
risk from strangers than they used to be; when the group leader probed
for evidence to support this there was little to support the contention
other than a single specific account of a child abduction and murder
in a community where one working parent focus group was held. But there
was general agreement that parenting is a more anxious task now than
in the past, due to parents' inability to monitor their childrens' environments
and associations. This was a particularly significant theme among working
parents in all groups. But there was no consensus about whether parenting
today is harder or easier than it once was.
The third topic area - having to do with how participants would handle
an emergency call from a distraught parent - was variously interpreted
from group to group as being a question either about (1) what strategy
might be appropriate to settle the parent down; or (2) where the caller
might be referred within the community. Participants suggested that
they would let the caller work through his or her stress by talking
the problem out, recounting what had been tried to bring the child under
control. Some participants said they might call on the distraught parent
or invite them to drop over. Parents receiving public assistance were
likely to caution: "don't call (the Department of Human Services)
- they'll take away your kid!" With regard to points of referral,
participants mentioned a trusted doctor or nurse, parent support groups
they had tried and liked or had heard good things about, local head
start programs, mental health agencies, the United Way.
The fourth topic area related to missing programs and needed services.
Cumberland County respondents identified child care, financial assistance,
flex-time work schedules, workplace-based off-shift talks by community
groups, educational opportunities, work at home options, sick-time for
sick kids, and dependent care programs.
Franklin County respondents identified child care, information and referral
services, drop in/drop/off centers, transportation, recreational opportunities,
sick time for sick kids, employer based and employer-supported services,
home visitation programs, educational opportunities, hotline services.
For Cumberland County, these were as follows:
First time parent rankings were (1) regular home visits by professionals
or volunteers; (2) telephone contact for parents to call about raising
children; (3) drop-off programs; (4) flexible work schedules; (4) day
care; (5) classes about raising children and family life; (6) professional
help for parents and families; (7) support groups; (8) places parents
can go for advice; (9) opportunities for family fun.
Working parent rankings were (1) support groups; (2) flexible work schedules;
(3) day care; (4) support for parents via telephone; (5) places to go
to get advice on how to hold a job and raise children (6) opportunities
for family fun; (7) drop off opportunities; (8) TV/video/radio programs
on parenting; (8) parent-to-parent matching programs; (9) information
on parenting at the workplace.
Adolescent parent rankings were (1) day care; (2) support for parents
via telephone; (3) opportunities for family fun; (4) places for pregnant
women to get information; (5) support groups.
For Franklin County, these were as follows:
New parent rankings were (1) child care; (2) opportunities for family
fun; (3) support groups; (4) drop-off programs; (5) professional help
for children and families; (6) home-based programs; (7) information/referral;
(8) flex-time opportunities; (9) telephone support.
Working parent rankings were (1) support; (2) child care; (3) opportunities
for family fun; (4) information at the work place; (5) professional
help for children and families; (6) advice for parents on holding a
job and raising children; (7) flex-time; (8) drop-off programs; (9)
Low income parent rankings were (1) child care; (2) opportunities for
family fun; (3) support; (4) drop-off services; (5) professional help
for children and families; (6) home-based services; (7) information
and referral; (8) educational opportunities (9) telephone support.
Steps for the Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Plan Project
The next steps for the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Plan project
are similar for both sponsoring organizations.
The Children's Task Force in Franklin County and the Cumberland County
Child Abuse and Neglect Council have formed planning groups with community
leaders as members. The mandate for each group is to develop, draft
and implement a community-based comprehensive child abuse and neglect
prevention plan. The goal of the plan is to strengthen the family unit,
and support parents in their parenting functions, thus preventing child
abuse and neglect.
Both organizations also plan to hold an additional series of focus groups
in community settings, such as businesses and human resources departments,
churches, and schools. The central question that will be posed to the
members of these groups: What role do you want to take in supporting
"Human service providers need to learn the language of business
so there can be greater exchange between these two community groups.
We're operating on the assumption that people want children to be
protected. And we're challenging the basic assumption that people
can't do anything to prevent child abuse and neglect. What parents
tell us they need is a community invested in its members. We want
to ask businesses - are you invested in your community?"
Focus Groups to Other Social Service Settings
The use of focus groups in a social service setting redefines our usual
notion of marketing. Marketing techniques formerly used only by advertising
agencies or product research companies can make a valuable contribution
to service providers committed to developing programs that meet their
In looking at focus groups as a marketing tool, it is helpful to consider
the ways in which the method can be applied in different settings. We
offer examples of several projects that successfully made use of focus
group data to solve their problem.
teenagers about AIDS
How to educate teenagers about sex is an ongoing debate, but when the
goal is educating teenagers about AIDS prevention, the dimensions of
the task are greater and the stakes are higher. The Researchers at the
University of Southern Maine, with funding from the Family Planning
Association of Maine, designed the AIDS Prevention and Education Project
to learn what are the elements of a successful AIDS education program
For the first stage of the project, the University sets up focus groups
at several Maine high schools to gather information about the students'
beliefs, attitudes, and opinions. Project staff believed it was important
to go directly to the teen-agers to get the answers. Four focus groups
were conducted at each school, two male and two female groups in two
different age brackets.
The central question posed to each group was, "If teens like you
were designing the program, what would it look like?" Each group
was asked to focus on what would make this program better and more successful
than other AIDS education programs they had participated in previously.
Several key themes emerged. Most students were reluctant to talk about
sex, birth control and pregnancy with anyone except their close friends.
Participants in all groups said emphatically that teens do not think
about AIDS, do not talk about AIDS, and generally feel that it is a
problem that will never affect them. They would want to hear from a
heterosexual teenager who has contracted the disease, preferably through
sexual contact, than from a gay man or woman - because most teens believe
their own experience is far removed from that of homosexuals.
These beliefs and preferences and others expressed during the focus
groups were incorporated into a questionnaire administered at each high
school to see if those opinions were shared by all of the students.
The next step will be to combine the focus group information, the survey
results, and information about previous experiences with local AIDS-related
training, education, and community history. This information will be
provided to the planning groups at each school whose job it is to determine
the scope and content of AIDS education programs that will be set up
during the project's next phase.
parent workshop enrollment
A group in Boston made use of focus group information in a similar manner
but with an entirely different population and problem. The Fatherhood
Project, begun in 1983 solely for fathers, now offers programs for all
parents. The organization's goal was to increase workshop enrollment
and to offer programs that would jibe with parents' interests.
Their plan was to conduct a marketing survey of parents in the Greater
Boston area. The survey method they chose was the questionnaire. The
questionnaire consisted of 20 questions designed to tap seven areas,
including factors bearing on the decision to participate in parent programs,
family communications and the balancing of roles, and demographics.
All of the areas were drawn directly from statements made during three
focus group interviews with parents from the same area.
The information gathered from the survey was then put to use in developing
brochures and advertising. For example, one trend was that parents tended
to think of themselves as doing a pretty good job but would also like
to be better parents. From this finding, the Fatherhood Project wrote
the brochure's opening sentence: "The Fatherhood Project offers
workshops and seminars for parents who may be doing a good job, but
who want to be better parents."
attitudes about family planning in Bangladesh
Focus groups also work outside of western culture. This marketing research
method yielded results in Bangladesh where an organization was producing
a film on family planning for viewing by members of a very traditional
Moslem society. The goal was to bridge the gap between a high degree
of family plan-ning awareness and a low degree of actual practice. It
was known that Moslem women were in favor of it, while men were not.
Moslem men, therefore, were the target audience; the challenge was how
to get the men to switch their attitude on family planning.
The strategy was to develop an approach that would motivate a Moslem
man to discuss family planning with his wife. Because in that culture
a wife could not initiate such a conversation with her husband, the
effective message must break through the cultural attitudes of the Bangladesh
male. Why would a man practice family planning? Focus groups provided
the answer: because he's a wise man and obviously a rich man.
The final script for the film was based on a creative interpretation
of conversations the organization had heard in focus groups they conducted
with Moslem men. The closing lines of the film were taken directly from
focus group notes: "I have been a fool, now I am a wise man. Be
a wise man. Do the right thing. Use family planning the wise man's way."
A year later, a research organization polling in Bangladesh found a
20 percent increase in the number of men who were discussing family
planning with their wives.
Chamberlin, Robert W., M.D., Ph.D., (Edited by), "Beyond Individual
Risk Assessment: Community Wide Approaches to Promoting the Health and
Development of Families and Children," Conference Proceedings,
November 1-4, 1987. Sponsored by Department of Maternal and Child Health,
Dartmouth/Hitchcock Medical Center and The Bureau of Special Medical
Services, Division of Public Health, Department of Health and Human
Services, State of New Hampshire.
Krueger, Richard A. Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research.
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