Father focus group (including consent)

 

Agenda

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ICE Breaker

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Sundjata

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Overview of the TIES Study

The study focuses on testing fatherhood program elements – to see how and where they are most effective at improving the lives of fathers and their children.  

• •TIES hopes to learn how programs can improve: 

• • •Father well-being 

  • •Father-child relationships 

  • •Co-parenting relationships 

  • •Economic stability 

 

Focus Group Co-Facilitation

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Steps for Facilitating a Focus Group

Steps	Person Responsible
1. Getting consent from participants	TIES team member only
2. Creating Community Agreements for the focus group	FA and TIES team member
3. Building Connection with participants	FA and TIES team member
4. Facilitating Discussion	FA and TIES team member

 

• •Informed consent is both a process and a form 

• •The Fatherhood TIES research team member and Father Advisor’s role is to  inform, not influence or coerce. 

• •We share enough detailed information about the study and focus group that fathers can make an informed choice. 

• •We ask fathers if they want to participate in the Fatherhood TIES focus group 

• • •It is their choice to participate (or not) 

  • •If they agree to participate, they can also choose what information to share in the group  

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1. Informed Consent

 

Use the informed consent form and focus group scripts to explain the following to fathers:

• •You are being asked to participate in a focus group for the Fatherhood TIES study 

• •Length of participation: About 1 hour 

• •Participation is voluntary 

• • •No penalties for not participating such as loss of services or service quality 

  • •You can choose to not answer questions or drop out any time  

• •Risks and benefits 

• •Protection of personally identifiable information, as well as any exceptions to privacy   

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1. How to get informed consent?

 

Community agreements represent how members of the focus group want to interact with and be treated by each other during the focus group (and after).

• •Can pose as a question: "What do you need from every person in this group in order to feel safe, supported, open, and productive?” 

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2. Creating Community Agreements

 

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Steps for creating Community Agreements

 

• •Participants as experts 

• •Awareness of community and sensitive topics 

• •Your role as the co-facilitator 

• •Recognizing and expressing gratitude to participants for their time and contributions 

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3. Building Connections with fathers

 

Follow the Focus Group Guide

• •Repeat the question – repetition gives more time to think.  

• •Pause for the answer – a thoughtful nod or expectant look can convey that you want a fuller answer.  

• •Repeat the reply – hearing it again sometimes stimulates conversation  

• •Ask when, what, where, which, and how questions – they provoke more detailed information   

• •Use neutral comments – “Anything else?” 

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4. Facilitating the Discussion

 

• •Use Listening Skills 

• •Probing and Clarifying Questions 

• •Time Management  

• •Record the Discussion 

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Tips for Guiding the Discussion

 

• •Active listening  

• •Body language and facial expressions 

• •Importance of neutrality 

• •Allowing silence 

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Listening Skills

 

• •Examples of probes 

• • •“Please say more about that…” 

  • •“Could you explain what you mean by…” 

  • •“Could you give an example of what you mean by…” 

  • •“Has anyone else had a difference experience/opinion?” 

• •Summarizing and reflecting back what is said 

  • •What I’m hearing you say… is that right? 

• •Avoid asking leading questions 

  • •“Don’t you think…” 

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Using Probes and Asking Clarifying Questions

 

• •Keeping the focus group moving 

• •Checking in with participants 

• •Not rushing participants 

• •Familiarity with the focus group questions and using it efficiently 

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Time Management

 

• •The project team member co-facilitating with you will take care of all recordings and notes during the focus group.  

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Recording and Note taking

 

Co-Facilitation Practice

Let's practice what we've learned in breakout rooms.

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Research Ethics

What are they and why do they matter?

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• •WHAT: Research Ethics are standards that govern the conduct of scientific researchers. Maintaining ethical principles is important for protecting the dignity, rights, and welfare of research participants.  

• •WHY: 1) Research ethics promote research goals such as knowledge and truth, 2) Research ethics support values such as trust, mutual respect and fairness, and 3) Research ethics ensure that researchers can be held accountable to the public.  

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Research Ethics 101

 

Research Principles are rules or guidelines for doing research with people participating in research studies like Fatherhood TIES or “Human Subjects”  

Human Subjects are:

1. • • •“Living individuals about whom an investigator conducting research obtains: data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or identifiable private information."   

     • •Federal regulations govern the treatment of human subjects. 

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Key Principles for treatment of Human Subjects in Research

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• You have an obligation to keep focus group participants’ information private.  

 

• You can help assure people that the information they share will remain private.  

• • Never share any information about specific people in the focus group except with MDRC team members. This means:  

• • • oNot telling friends or family members who attended the group.  

    • oNot telling friends or family members what was said in the group.  

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Privacy

 

Questions and Next Steps

 

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