Measurement Development: Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Models and Measures

ID:________

3M Cognitive interview: Testing HMRE Measures for Parents in Complex Familes

Interview PROTOCOL

RECORD DATE: _________________

RECORD START TIME: _________________

INTERVIEWER’S INITIALS: _________________

VERBAL CONSENT OBTAINED:	YES	NO [STOP INTERVIEW]
R OFFERED COPY OF CONSENT FORM:	YES	NO
PERMISSION TO TAPE RECORD:	YES	NO
PERMISSION TO USE QUOTES:	YES	NO

INTERVIEWER: IF CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY HAS NOT BEEN PROVIDED, INTERVIEW CANNOT TAKE PLACE.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

INTERVIEWER: START TAPE

Section 1. Respondent Background

I would like to start by learning a little bit about you and your family to help understand the information we gather. In particular, for some of the questions I will be asking, it would be helpful for me to understand a little bit about the history of your relationship with your current partner, how many children you have and who your children live with most of the time.

[PROBE IF NEEDED]

• What term do you use to describe your relationship with your current partner?

• How long have you and your partner been together?

• Do you and your partner live together?

• IF YES: Who else lives with you and your partner?

  • IF CHILDREN, FIND OUT WHETHER BIO CHILDREN, STEP CHILDREN, SHARED CHILDREN, WHETHER THIS IS PRIMARY RESIDENCE FOR THESE CHILDREN

• IF NO: Who else, if anyone, do you live with?

  • IF CHILDREN, FIND OUT WHETHER BIO CHILDREN, STEP CHILDREN, SHARED CHILDREN, WHETHER THIS IS PRIMARY RESIDENCE FOR THESE CHILDREN

• IF NO: Who else, if anyone, does your partner live with?

  • IF CHILDREN, FIND OUT WHETHER BIO CHILDREN, STEP CHILDREN, SHARED CHILDREN, WHETHER THIS IS PRIMARY RESIDENCE FOR THESE CHILDREN

• Do you have biological children you don’t live with?

  • How many?

  • How old are they?

  • IF YES, How do you refer to your nonresident child(ren)’s other parent(s)?

• IF NEEDED, do you say prior partner, ex, ex-wife, or something else?)

Later in the interview, some questions will refer to this parent. So that I can be sure I’m referring to the right person, can you tell me his/her first name? You can also use a nickname or initials.

List name__________________________

	Parents	Primary Residence

Section 2. Cognitive Interviewing Instructions

I work for an organization, Child Trends, and we have been hired to help develop survey questions that can be used to evaluate outcomes for parents who participate in Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Programs. The goal of these programs is to help strengthen couple and family relationships. We are glad to have your input on whether these questions might be good ones to ask parents in diverse types of families. Your answers will be used to help develop the questions the programs could use to find out if their program is working well for their participants. We want to find out what you think about the questions because we want to make sure that they are clear. For some of the questions, we will be asking you to think about whether the questions make sense for complex or blended families, which include parents that have children together, but may also have children from previous relationships, either living with them or in other households.

After you answer each question, I will have some follow-up questions to find out why you answered the way you did or what a certain word or phrase meant to you. I may ask you about different ways to ask the question. Remember that there are not right or wrong answers to my questions -- we just want your honest reactions and opinions.

So that we get the most from your help, it is important that you tell me if something in the question does not make sense to you or seems weird to you in any way. Please tell me if:

• a question is hard to answer,

• the words in a question are hard to understand,

• you have a hard time coming up with an answer,

• the words in the question are not the ones that you would use,

• you think other parents may not understand,

• you can’t answer a question or it’s hard for you to answer for some other reason.

Do you have any questions?

Section 3. Concern for Partner Well-Being

The first few questions are about you and your relationship with your current partner.

Please read and answer Question 1 and let me know when you are finished.

Question 1.

Please answer the following questions based on your relationship with your current partner.

Question 1.	None of the time	Some of the time	Half of the time	Most of the time	All of the time
I can tell what current stressors my partner is facing.
I know my partner’s major goals in life.
I know my partner’s current major challenges.
My partner is familiar with my current life stressors.
My partner is familiar with my major goals in life.
My partner knows my current major challenges.

Thank you. As we talked about earlier, I’d like to ask you about how you answered the questions and what the questions meant to you. Before we discuss specific questions, I have some general questions about this section.

• First, did you read and understand the instructions in italics above the question?

• In general, was it difficult or easy to answer the questions?

  • Were any of the words in the question hard to understand?

Please answer the following questions based on your relationship with your current partner.

Question 1.	None of the time	Some of the time	Half of the time	Most of the time	All of the time
I can tell what current stressors my partner is facing.
I know my partner’s major goals in life.
I know my partner’s current major challenges.
My partner is familiar with my current life stressors.
My partner is familiar with my major goals in life.
My partner knows my current major challenges.

.

• Did you answer all of the questions?

• In general, did you think the option to answer none of the time, some of the time, half of the time, etc. was a useful way to answer this question?

• What time frame did you have in mind when you answered this set of questions? (Were you thinking about your whole relationship, the past month, the past week, or something else?)

• Let’s look at Question 1a, “I can tell you what current stressors my partner is facing.”

• What were you thinking of when you read this question?

• What does the word “stressors” mean to you?

• What was your response for question 1a?

Please answer the following questions based on your relationship with your current partner.

Question 1.	None of the time	Some of the time	Half of the time	Most of the time	All of the time
I can tell what current stressors my partner is facing.
I know my partner’s major goals in life.
I know my partner’s current major challenges.
My partner is familiar with my current life stressors.
My partner is familiar with my major goals in life.
My partner knows my current major challenges.

• Let’s look at Question 1c, “I know my partner’s current major challenges.”

• What sorts of things came to mind when you answered Question 1c?

• Were you thinking of conversations you have had about this, your observations on this, or something else?

• Do “stressors” and “challenges” mean similar or different things to you?

• IF DIFFERENT: did that affect how you answered the question?

• What was your response for Question 1c?

Please answer the following questions based on your relationship with your current partner.

Question 1.	None of the time	Some of the time	Half of the time	Most of the time	All of the time
I can tell what current stressors my partner is facing.
I know my partner’s major goals in life.
I know my partner’s current major challenges.
My partner is familiar with my current life stressors.
My partner is familiar with my major goals in life.
My partner knows my current major challenges.

• Let’s look at Question 1e, “My partner is familiar with my current life stressors”

• Were you thinking of similar or different stressors than you did for Question 1a?

• How do you know that your partner is familiar with your “current life stressors”?

• How did you answer question 1e?

Now I would like you to turn to page 3. Please read and answer Question 2 and let me know when you are done.

Question 2.

Now please tell me how often you or your partner does the following things:

Question 2.	None of the time	Some of the time	Half of the time	Most of the time	All of the time
My partner helps me achieve my goals.
My partner does whatever they can to make me happy.
I help my partner achieve their goals.
My partner and I talk about what we want to do when we have free time.
I know what my partner really wants in life.
I care about the well being of my partner.
My partner and I communicate about our family’s safety.

• Did you think these questions were difficult or easy to answer?

  • Did you answer all of the questions?

  • Did you think that response options at the top of the box “none of the time, some of the time, etc.” were useful ways to answer these questions?

Now please tell me how often you or your partner does the following things:

Question 2.	None of the time	Some of the time	Half of the time	Most of the time	All of the time
My partner helps me achieve my goals.
My partner does whatever they can to make me happy.
I help my partner achieve their goals.
My partner and I talk about what we want to do when we have free time.
I know what my partner really wants in life.
I care about the well being of my partner.
My partner and I communicate about our family’s safety.

• Let’s look at Question 2d, “My partner and I talk about what we want to do when we have free time..”

• What sort of things came to mind when you read “free time”?

• IF NEEDED: Were you thinking of time spent out of work, holidays, something else?

• How did you answer question 2d?

Now please tell me how often you or your partner does the following things:

Question 2.	None of the time	Some of the time	Half of the time	Most of the time	All of the time
My partner helps me achieve my goals.
My partner does whatever they can to make me happy.
I help my partner achieve their goals.
My partner and I talk about what we want to do when we have free time.
I know what my partner really wants in life.
I care about the well being of my partner.
My partner and I communicate about our family’s safety.

• Let’s look at Question 2f, “I care about the well being of my partner.”

• What came to mind when you read the term “well being”?

• IF NEEDED: What sorts of things did you include in well being? Health? Happiness? Something else?

• Let’s look at Question 2g, “My partner and I communicate about our family’s safety..”

  • What came to mind when you read this question?

  • • In what ways do you communicate with your partner about your family’s safety?

• What did you think of when you read “our family’s safety?”

• Were you thinking of something specific or just in general?

Section 4. Knowledge/Attitudes about Healthy Blended Family Relationships

Now we are going to talk about some questions that have to do with your attitudes about blended families. Please read and answer Question 3 on page 4. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

Question 3.

Thinking about blended families in general, please mark the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

Would you say you strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree that:

Question 3.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
Love should develop quickly between a child and a stepparent.
Adjustment to living in a blended family should occur quickly.
Family members should feel close to one another soon after a new family forms.
Children’s wishes are more important than a new partner’s wishes.
Children’s needs are more important than a new partner’s needs.
People who have divorced are likely to divorce again.
People who have had bad relationships can still build good relationships that last.
Romantic feelings for an ex-spouse/partner should end with a new relationship.
My partner has no business seeing their previous partner.
If my partner gets along with their previous partner, it would make me unhappy.
Generally there is a feeling of happiness in my family.
Overall, there are more happy feelings, than unhappy feelings in my family.

• Were any of these questions hard to answer?

• Did you answer all of these questions?

Thinking about blended families in general, please mark the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

Would you say you strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree that:

Question 3.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
Love should develop quickly between a child and a stepparent.
Adjustment to living in a blended family should occur quickly.
Family members should feel close to one another soon after a new family forms.
Children’s wishes are more important than a new partner’s wishes.
Children’s needs are more important than a new partner’s needs.
People who have divorced are likely to divorce again.
People who have had bad relationships can still build good relationships that last.
Romantic feelings for an ex-spouse/partner should end with a new relationship.
My partner has no business seeing their previous partner.
If my partner gets along with their previous partner, it would make me unhappy.
Generally there is a feeling of happiness in my family.
Overall, there are more happy feelings, than unhappy feelings in my family.

• What were you thinking of when you answered Question 3a “Love should develop quickly between a child and a stepparent.”

• Who were you thinking about when you answered this question?

  • Were you thinking about a child becoming close with a stepparent, a stepparent becoming close with a child, both, or something else?

• In Question 3c, “Family members should feel close to one another soon after a new family forms.” what does it mean to feel close?

  • Which family members were you thinking about when you answered this question? (If Needed, Give R examples)

• What was your answer to question 3c?

• In your opinion, are question 3a and question 3c asking similar or different things?

• IF DIFFERENT: Did that affect your answers?

• IF SIMILAR: are both questions needed? Which question do you prefer?

Thinking about blended families in general, please mark the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

Would you say you strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree that:

Question 3.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
Love should develop quickly between a child and a stepparent.
Adjustment to living in a blended family should occur quickly.
Family members should feel close to one another soon after a new family forms.
Children’s wishes are more important than a new partner’s wishes.
Children’s needs are more important than a new partner’s needs.
People who have divorced are likely to divorce again.
People who have had bad relationships can still build good relationships that last.
Romantic feelings for an ex-spouse/partner should end with a new relationship.
My partner has no business seeing their previous partner.
If my partner gets along with their previous partner, it would make me unhappy.
Generally there is a feeling of happiness in my family.
Overall, there are more happy feelings, than unhappy feelings in my family.

• Can you tell me in your own words what Question 3d, “Children’s wishes are more important than a new partner’s wishes.” is asking?

  • What came to mind when you read the word “wishes” in this question?

• Were you thinking of a specific instance or just in general when you answered this question?

• What was your answer to question 3d?

• Now let’s look at Question 3e, “Children’s needs are more important than a new partner’s needs.”

• What came to mind when you read this question?

• What does the word “needs” mean in this question?

• Do you think question 3e and 3d are asking similar or different things?

• Are both needed? Which question do you prefer?

• How did you answer question 3e?

Thinking about blended families in general, please mark the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

Would you say you strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree that:

Question 3.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
Love should develop quickly between a child and a stepparent.
Adjustment to living in a blended family should occur quickly.
Family members should feel close to one another soon after a new family forms.
Children’s wishes are more important than a new partner’s wishes.
Children’s needs are more important than a new partner’s needs.
People who have divorced are likely to divorce again.
People who have had bad relationships can still build good relationships that last.
Romantic feelings for an ex-spouse/partner should end with a new relationship.
My partner has no business seeing their previous partner.
If my partner gets along with their previous partner, it would make me unhappy.
Generally there is a feeling of happiness in my family.
Overall, there are more happy feelings, than unhappy feelings in my family.

• Now let’s look at Question 3h “Romantic feelings for an ex-spouse/partner should end with a new relationship.”

  • What were you thinking of when you answered this question?

• Did you notice the word “romantic” in this question?

• What do “romantic feelings” mean to you?

• In question 3i, “My partner has no business seeing their previous partner.” What does the word “seeing” mean to you?

• If unclear on the word seeing: “Is there a different word you would prefer to use?”

Section 5. Relationship and Marriage Attitudes and Expectations

INTERVIEWER: Now let’s do a role play. As I mentioned earlier these questions might be used to help find out if a program for couples worked well or not. Imagine you just finished a four week program with your partner to help strengthen your relationship and you were asked to answer these questions.

Read through Question 4. Don’t answer this time; just read the questions. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

Relationship Expectations and Perceptions (Attitudes/Beliefs)

Question 4.

Please report how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. Please select strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree.

Question 4.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I feel that my partner and I communicate better since taking this class.
I am more committed to our relationship since taking this class.
I feel disappointed in my relationship since taking this class.
I have given up on my relationship since taking this class.
My expectations for my relationship have increased since taking this class.
My expectations for my partner have increased since taking this class.
My expectations for myself have increased since taking this class.
Since taking this class, I believe that working on this relationship can pay off.
I am more positive about my relationship since taking this class.
I feel more negative about my relationship since taking this class.

• Were these questions difficult or easy to understand?

Please report how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. Please select strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree.

Question 4.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I feel that my partner and I communicate better since taking this class.
I am more committed to our relationship since taking this class.
I feel disappointed in my relationship since taking this class.
I have given up on my relationship since taking this class.
My expectations for my relationship have increased since taking this class.
My expectations for my partner have increased since taking this class.
My expectations for myself have increased since taking this class.
Since taking this class, I believe that working on this relationship can pay off.
I am more positive about my relationship since taking this class.
I feel more negative about my relationship since taking this class.

• When you read Question 4f, “My expectations for my partner have increased since taking this class” what type of expectations came to mind?

• Do you think it is a good thing or a bad thing to have expectations for your partner?

• Can you tell me more about that?

• Now let’s look at question 4g, “My expectations for myself have increased since taking this class.”

• What type of expectations came to mind when you read this question?

• Do you think it is a good thing or a bad thing to have expectations for yourself?

• Can you tell me more about that?

Now I would like you to turn to page 6. Please read Question 5. Don’t answer this time; just read the questions. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

Question 5.

Since taking this class, how likely is it that:

Question 5.	Much less likely	Somewhat less likely	About the same	Somewhat more likely	Much more likely
Your relationship can be happy.
Your relationship can succeed.
Your relationship can be good for your children.
You have the skills to make your relationship last.
You will work to improve your relationship.
Your partner will work to improve your relationship.

• Let’s look at Question 5b “Your relationship can succeed”

  • What does it mean to you for a relationship to succeed?

  • What comes to mind when you think of a relationship that is succeeding?

Since taking this class, how likely is it that:

Question 5.	Much less likely	Somewhat less likely	About the same	Somewhat more likely	Much more likely
Your relationship can be happy.
Your relationship can succeed.
Your relationship can be good for your children.
You have the skills to make your relationship last.
You will work to improve your relationship.
Your partner will work to improve your relationship.

• What skills came to mind when you read Question 5d, “You have the skills to make your relationship last?”

• What time frame were you thinking of when you read “make a relationship last”

Section 6. Child’s Perception about Parent’s Role and Responsibilities

THIS SECTION FOR PARENTS WITH RESIDENT NON-BIO KIDS AND/OR NONRESIDENT BIO KIDS. OTHERWISE SKIP TO NEXT SECTION.

Now I am going to ask you some questions about parenting in a blended family.

Please read and answer Question 6. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

Question 6.

For each of these items, do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the statement:

Question 6.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
My child is confused about who their parents are.
My child is confused about who makes the rules.
My child is confused about whose rules to follow.
My child is confused about who has the authority to punish them.
My child is confused about who will pay for unexpected expenses.
My child is confused about which parent to ask permission to do things.

• What did you think about this set of questions?

• Do you think these questions are appropriate for parents like you?

• Did you answer all of the questions?

• Who were you thinking about when you answered this question?

  • Were you thinking about your biological children, your partner’s biological children, only children who live with you, only children who do not live with you, or something else?

Question 6.

For each of these items, do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the statement:

Question 6.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
My child is confused about who their parents are.
My child is confused about who makes the rules.
My child is confused about whose rules to follow.
My child is confused about who has the authority to punish them.
My child is confused about who will pay for unexpected expenses.
My child is confused about which parent to ask permission to do things.

• What were you thinking about when you read Question 6b “My child is confused about who makes the rules.”

• What kinds of rules were you thinking about? (chores, homework, discipline, school, other?)

• Do you think this question would be relevant for parents of children of any age? (If needed: for example, do you think a parent of a child who was two years old could answer, what about a parent of a teenager?)

• How did you answer this question?

• What were you thinking about when you read Question 6c “My child is confused about whose rules to follow.”

• Were you thinking about the same or different rules as question b?

• Do you think this question would be relevant for parents of children of any age? (If needed: for example, do you think a parent of a child who was two years old could answer, what about a parent of a teenager?)

• In your opinion, are question 6c and 6b asking similar or different things?

  • If different: which question do you prefer?

• How did you answer this question?

Question 6.

For each of these items, do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the statement:

Question 6.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
My child is confused about who their parents are.
My child is confused about who makes the rules.
My child is confused about whose rules to follow.
My child is confused about who has the authority to punish them.
My child is confused about who will pay for unexpected expenses.
My child is confused about which parent to ask permission to do things.

• In Question 6e, what kind of “unexpected expenses” came to mind when you answered this question?

• Were you thinking of a specific instance or in general?

• Do you think this question would be relevant for parents of children of any age? (If needed: for example, do you think a parent of a child who was two years old could answer, what about a parent of a teenager?)

Section 7. Blended family Co-Parenting (Attitudes/Beliefs)

THIS SECTION FOR PARENTS WITH RESIDENT NON-BIO KIDS. OTHERWISE SKIP TO NEXT SECTION.

Question 7.

Below are a number of issues that may be experienced by blended families.

Question 7.	None of the time	Some of the time	Half of the time	Most of the time	All of the time
I find it difficult to clearly understand my partner’s expectations about my role as a parent.
I find it difficult to establish a relationship of trust with my partner’s children.
I find it difficult to discipline my partner’s children.
I find it difficult to feel I have “my” place in the family.
I find it difficult to know what to do when my partner’s children express negative feelings about me.

• In general do you think it was easy or difficult to answer this set of questions?

• Can you tell me what Question 7a “I find it difficult to clearly understand my partner’s expectations about my role as a parent” is asking in your own words?

• What kinds of expectations came to mind when you read this question?

• What children were you thinking about when you answered this question?

  • Were you thinking about your biological child that you have with your partner, your partner’s biological children, or something else?

Question 7.

Below are a number of issues that may be experienced by blended families.

Question 7.	None of the time	Some of the time	Half of the time	Most of the time	All of the time
I find it difficult to clearly understand my partner’s expectations about my role as a parent.
I find it difficult to establish a relationship of trust with my partner’s children.
I find it difficult to discipline my partner’s children.
I find it difficult to feel I have “my” place in the family.
I find it difficult to know what to do when my partner’s children express negative feelings about me.

• In Question 7b, how would you describe a relationship of trust?

• How do you determine when you have established a relationship of trust with your partner’s children?

• What were you thinking about when you read Question 7d, “Feeling I have “my” place in the family.”

• What does it mean to have your “place”?

• What were you thinking about when you read the term “family”?

• Were you thinking about your partner and their kids, both of you and all of your kids, only/all of the people who live in the house, your extended family, or something else?

Section 8. Co-Parenting Relationship with Previous Partners and/or other Co-Parents

ADMINISTER THIS SECTION FOR PARENTS WITH NON-RESIDENT BIO KIDS. OTHERWISE SKIP TO CLOSING.

Now I’d like to talk about some questions that would be used with parents and their previous partners. Remember that your participation is voluntary. At any time, if we ask a question you do not want to answer, you can let me know and I will move on to the next question.

Please read and answer Question 8 and let me know when you are done.

Question 8.

The following statements are about [YOUR PRIOR PARTNER] and their current involvement in the care of your child(ren). Please answer if the statement is true none of the time, some of the time, half of the time, most of the time, or all of the time.

Question 8.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I believe [PREVIOUS PARTNER] is a good parent.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I communicate well about our child(ren).
I feel good about [PREVIOUS PARTNER]’s judgment about what is right for our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] makes being a parent easier.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I are a good team.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] knows how to handle child(ren) well.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] is willing to make personal sacrifices to help take care of our child(ren).
I look forward to talking to [PREVIOUS PARTNER] about our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] pays a great deal of attention to our child(ren).
When there is a problem with the child(ren),[ PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I try to work out a good solution together.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] acts like the kind of parent I want for my child(ren).
When I have to make rules for the child(ren), [PREVIOUS PARTNER] backs me up.

The following statements are about [YOUR PRIOR PARTNER] and their current involvement in the care of your child(ren). Please answer if the statement is true none of the time, some of the time, half of the time, most of the time, or all of the time.

Question 8.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I believe [PREVIOUS PARTNER] is a good parent.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I communicate well about our child(ren).
I feel good about [PREVIOUS PARTNER]’s judgment about what is right for our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] makes being a parent easier.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I are a good team.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] knows how to handle child(ren) well.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] is willing to make personal sacrifices to help take care of our child(ren).
I look forward to talking to [PREVIOUS PARTNER] about our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] pays a great deal of attention to our child(ren).
When there is a problem with the child(ren),[ PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I try to work out a good solution together.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] acts like the kind of parent I want for my child(ren).
When I have to make rules for the child(ren), [PREVIOUS PARTNER] backs me up.

• Was this set of questions difficult or easy to answer?

• Did you read and respond to the instructions in italics?

• The instructions say “The following statements are about [YOUR PRIOR PARTNER] and their current involvement in the care of your child(ren).”

• What timeframe came to mind when you read the word “current involvement?” (for example, your whole relationship, past month, past week, something else?)

The following statements are about [YOUR PRIOR PARTNER] and their current involvement in the care of your child(ren). Please answer if the statement is true none of the time, some of the time, half of the time, most of the time, or all of the time.

Question 8.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I believe [PREVIOUS PARTNER] is a good parent.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I communicate well about our child(ren).
I feel good about [PREVIOUS PARTNER]’s judgment about what is right for our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] makes being a parent easier.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I are a good team.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] knows how to handle child(ren) well.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] is willing to make personal sacrifices to help take care of our child(ren).
I look forward to talking to [PREVIOUS PARTNER] about our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] pays a great deal of attention to our child(ren).
When there is a problem with the child(ren),[ PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I try to work out a good solution together.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] acts like the kind of parent I want for my child(ren).
When I have to make rules for the child(ren), [PREVIOUS PARTNER] backs me up.

• Let’s look at Question 8b, “[PREVIOUS PARTNER NAME] and I communicate well about our children.”

• What came to mind when you read “communicate”?

• How do you determine that you and your previous partner are communicating well or are not communicating well?

• (Is it based on how often you talk, the mode of communication (text vs. in person), the quality of your conversation, or something else?)

• How did you answer this question?

• Let’s look at Question 8c, “I feel good about [PREVIOUS PARTNER NAME]’s judgment about what is right for our children.”

• When you were answering this question, what time period were you thinking of?

• IF NEEDED: Were you thinking of your whole relationship? Right now? Something else?

The following statements are about [YOUR PRIOR PARTNER] and their current involvement in the care of your child(ren). Please answer if the statement is true none of the time, some of the time, half of the time, most of the time, or all of the time.

Question 8.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I believe [PREVIOUS PARTNER] is a good parent.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I communicate well about our child(ren).
I feel good about [PREVIOUS PARTNER]’s judgment about what is right for our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] makes being a parent easier.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I are a good team.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] knows how to handle child(ren) well.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] is willing to make personal sacrifices to help take care of our child(ren).
I look forward to talking to [PREVIOUS PARTNER] about our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] pays a great deal of attention to our child(ren).
When there is a problem with the child(ren),[ PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I try to work out a good solution together.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] acts like the kind of parent I want for my child(ren).
When I have to make rules for the child(ren), [PREVIOUS PARTNER] backs me up.

• Let’s look at Question 8d, “[PREVIOUS PARTNER NAME] makes being a parent easier.”

• What were you thinking about when you answered 8d?

• What kinds of things can a previous partner do or say to make being a parent easier?

• Were you think about a specific instance or in general when you answered this question?

• What was your answer?

• Let’s look at Question 8h, “I look forward to talking to [PREVIOUS PARTNER] about our child(ren).”

• What do you think this question is asking in your own words?

• How did you answer this question?

The following statements are about [YOUR PRIOR PARTNER] and their current involvement in the care of your child(ren). Please answer if the statement is true none of the time, some of the time, half of the time, most of the time, or all of the time.

Question 8.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I believe [PREVIOUS PARTNER] is a good parent.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I communicate well about our child(ren).
I feel good about [PREVIOUS PARTNER]’s judgment about what is right for our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] makes being a parent easier.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I are a good team.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] knows how to handle child(ren) well.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] is willing to make personal sacrifices to help take care of our child(ren).
I look forward to talking to [PREVIOUS PARTNER] about our child(ren).
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] pays a great deal of attention to our child(ren).
When there is a problem with the child(ren),[ PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I try to work out a good solution together.
[PREVIOUS PARTNER] acts like the kind of parent I want for my child(ren).
When I have to make rules for the child(ren), [PREVIOUS PARTNER] backs me up.

• Let’s look at Question 8i, “[PREVIOUS PARTNER NAME] pays a great deal of attention to our child(ren).”

• What does it mean to “pay a great deal of attention to children?”

• How do you determine whether your partner pays a great deal of attention to your children?

• Were you including time spent looking after children, time spent engaged in activities with children, or something else?

• How did you answer this question?

• Let’s look at Question 8j, “When there is a problem with the child(ren),[ PREVIOUS PARTNER] and I try to work out a good solution together. ”

• Was it easy or difficult to answer this question?

• What does it mean to “try to work out a good solution”

• Were you thinking of a specific instance or in general?

The following question is about how you and [PREVIOUS PARTNER NAME] feel about your children. Please read and answer Question 9 and let me know when you are done.

Question 9.

Please tell me if you strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree with the following statement:

Question 9.	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
We could raise my child(ren) just as well without [PREVIOUS PARTNER].

• Who were you thinking about when you read “we could raise” in this question?

• What children were you thinking about when you read “my children” in this question?

The next question is another question about co-parenting with [PREVIOUS PARTNER NAME]. Please keep the same partner in mind. Please read and answer question 10. Take as much time as you need and let me know when you are done.

Question 10.

Now I would like to read you a list of issues that parents may have disagreements about. Please tell me how often you and [PREVIOUS PARTNER NAME] disagree when you talk about the following things.

Question 10. How often do you DISAGREE about:	Often Disagree	Sometimes Disagree	Hardly Ever Disagree	Never Disagree	We Don’t Talk About This
Setting rules for or disciplining the child(ren).
The activities that the child(ren) participate in.
Who takes care of the child(ren).
The amount of time each parent spends with the child(ren).
How your child(ren) is/are raised
How you spend money on your child(ren).
How your previous partner spends money on your child(ren).

• Was this set of questions difficult or easy to answer?

• Did you read and respond to the instructions in italics above the question?

  • The instructions say “Please tell me how often you and [PREVIOUS PARTNER NAME] disagree when you talk about the following things.”

• What came to mind when you read the word “talk” in this sentence?

  • Were you thinking about talking in person, on the phone, by text, or something else?

• Did you answer: “we don’t talk about this” for any of these questions?

Question 10. How often do you DISAGREE about:	Often Disagree	Sometimes Disagree	Hardly Ever Disagree	Never Disagree	We Don’t Talk About This
Setting rules for or disciplining the child(ren).
The activities that the child(ren) participate in.
Who takes care of the child(ren).
The amount of time each parent spends with the child(ren).
How your child(ren) is/are raised
How you spend money on your child(ren).
How your previous partner spends money on your child(ren).

• What were you thinking about when you read “Who takes care of the child(ren)” in Question 10c?

• Do you think this question is useful for parents of children of all ages?

• How did you answer this question?

INTERVIEWER: REVIEW THE GUIDE TO ASSURE NO RELEVANT QUESTIONS WERE OVERLOOKED OR WERE NOT ASKED

Before we end, I have a few more questions.

1. Is there anything else you would like to add or think we should have covered but didn’t?

2. As I previously mentioned, we may want to use specific quotes from the interviews when describing some of our results. All identifying information would be removed to ensure that identity of the participants remains anonymous. Now that the interview is complete, I would like to give you the opportunity to change your mind about giving us permission to use specific quotes from your interviews. Please remember that no identifying information would be reported if you consent to having quotes from your interview used.

Do we have your permission to use specific quotes from your interview in summaries, reports, and presentations of our study findings?

PERMISSION TO USE QUOTES YES NO

INTERVIEWER TURN OFF TAPE

We’d like to thank you for your time and important contribution to our study.

RECORD END TIME________

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Attachment B- 3M Cognitive Interview Guide for Parents in Complex Families