Rural Smokeless Creative Concept Testing – Focus Groups with Rural Youth

Rural Creative Concept Testing, Screener -- 10

Rural smokeless creative concept testing – focus groups with rural YOUTH

OVERVIEW

Focus group participants will be recruited during lunch, in the hallways between classes, or at another time designated by the local principal. Between 2-4 recruiters per school will be on campus to administer the electronic screener and the youth assent form via iPad or laptop, and provide instructions and materials for parental consent.

Before recruiting commences, all recruiters will attend training to ensure the screening procedures are administered consistently. All recruiters will wear a collared shirt with the Michael Cohen Group logo.

Rationale/Justification for Screener Items:

Item(s)	Rationale/Justification
1	Initial agreement to participate in the research study
Termination Point for students who do not wish to participate.
2	Verify age. Ensure all participants are between the ages of 12-17. Use age and grade information to assign participants to groups. Middle school groups (6th-8th grades) will have 12 and 13 year olds and high school groups (9th-12th grade) will have 15, 16, and 17 year olds. We anticipate that some 14 year olds will be in 8th grade, and thus will be placed with their middle school peers. Other 14 year olds will be in 9th grade, and thus will be placed with their high school peers.
3	Verify gender. Ensure all participants are male.
4a-b	Verify race/ethnicity. Ensure all participants self-identify as White (non-Hispanic).
Termination Point for students who do not meet criteria in 2, 3, and 4a-b.
5 6 7	Warm-up questions to build rapport with students before asking more sensitive questions. Warm-up questions also make it easier to conceal how students’ smokeless tobacco status is related to their eligibility to participate in the study, thus adding extra protection to safeguard students’ smokeless tobacco status.
8 9a-c 10	Verify smokeless tobacco status. Identify students who are at-risk or experimenters. Exclude students who are closed to using smokeless tobacco and who have used smokeless tobacco more than 20 times in the past. At-risk students and experimenters cannot be assigned to the same group.
Termination Point for students who do not meet criteria in 8, 9a-c, and 10.
11-12	Student name and grade (obtained for scheduling purposes only)
13 14	Student agreement to either return a signed Parent/Guardian consent form to study staff the next day (q13) or deliver a Parent/Guardian notification that day (q14).
Termination Point for eligible students who are not willing to comply with 13 (or 14).

RECRUITER SCRIPT

Hi! I’m [NAME]. I work for a research company (Michael Cohen Group – point to logo on shirt) and we are at your school this week conducting focus groups. Focus groups are a type of research used to gather opinions on a specific topic. If you are interested, qualify and participate, you will receive $25. The focus groups will take place during the regular school day and last about 90 minutes. We will show you some ideas for a public health campaign on smokeless tobacco, and all you have to do is tell us what you think. There are no wrong answers – we just want your opinion.

If you are interested, all you have to do now is answer a few questions on my iPad/laptop to see if you are eligible to participate. If you don’t want to participate, or if we determine that you are not eligible to participate, there are no consequences to you and it will have no effect on your grades or how you teachers or staff at your school think of you. It’s completely your choice and we are prohibited from sharing any information you provide to us during the screening process or in the groups with your parent(s)/guardian(s), teachers, or anyone else outside of the research team.

Do you want to complete the screener to see if you are eligible to participate?

[If yes, continue. If no, thank and move on.]

Note- The screener will be programmed as an electronic survey that students will complete via iPads or laptops during the recruitment period.

Please answer the following questions.

1.	We will be conducting focus groups at your school on <<DATE/TIME/LOCATION>>. Would you be interested in participating in one of these focus groups?
		Yes	CONTINUE to Q2
		No thanks	TERMINATE

TERMINATION CRITERIA	Terminate if q1= “No thanks”
TERMINATION LANGUAGE [shown on separate screen]	Thank you for your time. Please return this [iPad/Laptop] back to the study staff.

2.	How old are you?
				Under 12
				12
				13
				14
				15
				16
				17
				18 or Over
3.		What is your gender?
			Male
			Female

4a.	Are you Hispanic or Latino?
		Yes
		No

4b.	Which of the following best describes your race? (Mark all that apply)
		American Indian or Alaskan Native
		Asian
		Black or African American
		Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
		White

TERMINATION CRITERIA	Terminate if q2=“under 12” or q2=“18 or Over” or q3=“Female” or q4a=“Yes” or q4b=“American Indian or Alaskan Native” or q4b=“Asian” or q4b=“Black or African American” or q4b=“Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander”
TERMINATION LANGUAGE [shown on separate screen]	Thank you for your interest in participating in this study. Unfortunately, based on the responses you provided, you do not meet the specifications we are looking for to complete this study. Please return this [iPad/Laptop] back to the study staff.

5.	How many siblings do you have?
		0
		1
		2
		3
		4
		5 or more

6.	Do you live with your… ? (Mark all that apply)
		Mom
		Dad
		Stepfather
		Stepmother
		Grandparent(s)
		Sibling(s)
		Cousin(s)
		Other

7.	Do you currently have a job?
		No, I do not have a job
		Yes, I work less than 20 hours per week
		Yes, I work more than 20 hours per week

8.

Have you ever tried chewing tobacco, snuff or dip?

Yes

SKIP TO Q10

No

CONTINUE to Q9a

	9a.	Do you think you will use chewing tobacco, snuff or dip soon?
			Definitely yes
			Probably yes
			Probably not
			Definitely not

	9b.	Do you think you will use chewing tobacco, snuff or dip in the next year? Would you say…
			Definitely yes
			Probably yes
			Probably not
			Definitely not

9c.	If one of your best friends were to offer you chewing tobacco, snuff or dip, would you use it? Would you say…
		Definitely yes
		Probably yes
		Probably not
		Definitely not

[Programmer: ONLY ASK Q10 IF Q8=“Yes”]

10.	Have you used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip more than 20 times in the past?
		Yes
		No

TERMINATION CRITERIA	Terminate if: q8=“Yes” and q10=“Yes” -or- q8=“No” and q9a/q9b/q9c=“Definitely Not”
TERMINATION LANGUAGE [shown on separate screen]	Thank you for your interest in participating in this study. Unfortunately, based on the responses you provided, you do not meet the specifications we are looking for to complete this study. Please return this [iPad/Laptop] back to the study staff.

11.		What grade are you in?
				6th Grade
				7th Grade
				8th Grade
				9th Grade
				10th Grade
				11th Grade
				12th Grade
12.		Please enter your first name and last initial (e.g., James M.):

Thanks! Based on the responses you provided, you meet the specifications for this study.

[Programmer: SHOW ‘NEXT’ BUTTON TO CONTINUE TO YOUTH ASSENT FORM]

[Programmer: INSERT PARTICIPANT YOUTH ASSENT FORM HERE]

[Programmer: AFTER PARTICIPANT COMPLETES & SUBMITS ASSENT FORM SHOW THE FOLLOWING]

You are almost set!

[Programmer: SHOW Q13 IF Q2=“12” OR SIGNED PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT IS REQUIRED BY SCHOOL]

13.	You must obtain permission from a parent/guardian to participate in this study. Do you agree to take home a “Parent/Guardian Consent Form” today and (if your parent/guardian approves) bring back a signed copy to the research staff tomorrow?
		Yes
		No	TERMINATE [see language above]

[Programmer: SHOW Q14 IF Q2>“12” AND SCHOOL HAS AGREED TO PASSIVE PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT PROCEDURES]

14.	We are required to notify your parent/guardian about this study before you participate. Do you agree to deliver a “Parent/Guardian Notification” to your parent/guardian today when you get home from school?
		Yes
		No	TERMINATE [see language above]

[Programmer: SHOW NEW SCREEN]

Congratulations, you are eligible to participate in this study!

We look forward to hearing your opinions in one of the upcoming focus groups.

In return for your participation, you will receive $25 as a token of appreciation.

Remember, to participate you must [IF Q13=VALID RESPONSE THEN INSERT: “return a signed parent/guardian consent form to one of the research staff tomorrow”; IF Q14=VALID REPONSE THEN INSERT: “deliver the Parent/Guardian Notification to your parent/guardian tonight”].

At this time, please return this [iPad/Laptop] back to the study staff and you will receive a paper copy of the [Parent/Guardian Consent Form/Parent/Guardian Notification] and a reminder card with the scheduled date, time and location of your focus group.