Focus Groups
Summary
TLDRDr. Samir Sakamoto, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, discusses the power of focus groups in qualitative health research. He outlines the definition, design, and facilitation of focus groups, emphasizing their versatility and ability to generate rich data through group interaction. Sakamoto shares examples from his research, including studies on international families and the concept of 'Canadian experience'. He highlights the strengths of focus groups, such as data concentration and spontaneity, as well as limitations like group dynamics and confidentiality issues. The video concludes with practical advice on running effective focus groups and variations like online focus groups.
Takeaways
- 🎓 Dr. Samir Sakamoto is an associate professor at the University of Toronto and an expert in qualitative research, particularly focus groups.
- 🗣️ Focus groups are a qualitative research method involving group interviews that rely on interaction among participants to generate insights.
- 🔍 Focus groups have been used since the 1920s and gained popularity in the 1960s, often utilized in market and health research.
- 🌟 Focus groups can reveal data and perspectives that might be inaccessible through individual interviews due to the dynamic of group interaction.
- 🌐 Dr. Sakamoto's own research includes using focus groups to understand the struggles of international students' spouses and to explore the concept of 'Canadian experience'.
- 💡 Focus groups are versatile and can be used as a standalone method or as part of a larger, multi-method study.
- 📊 They are beneficial for generating concentrated data, observing group dynamics, and are considered economical and efficient for idea generation.
- ⚖️ Limitations of focus groups include potential influence of group dynamics on individual responses and challenges in ensuring confidentiality.
- 🛠️ Effective focus group facilitation requires planning, including developing a clear research design, considering group composition, and logistics.
- 🏢 When structuring a focus group, it's important to consider the physical environment, group dynamics, and the facilitator's role in guiding the discussion.
- 🌐 Focus groups can also be conducted electronically, addressing logistical issues but introducing unique ethical considerations.
Q & A
What is the primary purpose of focus groups in qualitative research?
-Focus groups are used in qualitative research to gather data through group interactions, which can produce insights that might be less accessible without the dynamic of a group discussion.
How do focus groups differ from individual interviews?
-Unlike individual interviews where participants answer a researcher's questions, focus groups rely on the interaction within the group, allowing for a collective discussion that can generate richer data.
Why have focus groups become a popular method in research?
-Focus groups became popular due to their ability to produce concentrated amounts of data on a specific topic, their efficiency in generating spontaneous responses, and the opportunity to observe nonverbal behaviors and interaction patterns.
What are some limitations of using focus groups?
-Limitations include potential influence of group dynamics on individual responses, less control over the data compared to individual interviews, and challenges in assembling groups that can take time and resources.
Can you provide an example of how focus groups were used in a real-world research scenario mentioned in the script?
-In the script, Dr. Samir Sakamoto used focus groups to explore the struggles of spouses of international students and business scholars living in university family housing, leading to the development of community-based services.
What is the role of a facilitator in a focus group?
-A facilitator in a focus group is responsible for keeping the discussion on topic, ensuring participants feel comfortable, clarifying confusion, and guiding the conversation from general to specific questions without leading the participants.
Why is it important to practice running a focus group before conducting one?
-Practicing helps researchers familiarize themselves with the process, identify potential issues, and refine their facilitation skills, which is crucial for the success of the focus group.
How can the composition of a focus group affect the research outcomes?
-The composition of a focus group can influence the dynamics and the richness of the data collected. It's important to consider factors like homogeneity, heterogeneity, diversity, and commonality among participants.
What are some logistical considerations when planning a focus group?
-Logistical considerations include the physical location, room size, comfort of chairs, accessibility, noise levels, availability of refreshments, and ensuring that the setting is conducive to open discussion and confidentiality.
How can focus groups be adapted for use in community-based participatory research (CBPR)?
-In CBPR, focus groups can be used to empower participants affected by social issues, fostering a sense of community and mutual support, and can be a tool for social change by leveraging the collective experience and insights of the group.
What are some ethical considerations when conducting focus groups online?
-When conducting focus groups online, researchers need to consider unique ethical issues such as maintaining confidentiality and obtaining informed consent in a digital environment.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Focus Groups in Qualitative Research
Dr. Samir Sakamoto, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, introduces the concept of focus groups as a qualitative research method. He discusses the definition, design, and logistics of focus groups, emphasizing their importance in gathering rich data through group interactions. Dr. Sakamoto shares his experiences conducting focus groups, such as his study on international families and a project exploring the concept of 'Canadian experience' among immigrants. He highlights the versatility of focus groups in qualitative health research and the insights they can provide beyond individual interviews.
🔍 The Benefits and Limitations of Focus Groups
This section delves into the advantages of using focus groups, such as the generation of concentrated data, spontaneous responses, and the observation of nonverbal cues. It also addresses the limitations, including the influence of group dynamics on individual responses and the challenges in assembling diverse yet cohesive groups. Dr. Sakamoto stresses the importance of considering group composition, facilitation skills, and logistics to ensure effective data collection. He also mentions the ethical considerations and the potential for focus groups to be conducted electronically, addressing modern research challenges.
📝 Designing and Conducting Focus Groups
Dr. Sakamoto provides a detailed guide on designing and conducting focus groups, including the development of a focus group interview guide with main and follow-up questions. He suggests practicing with mock groups and considering the composition and structure of the actual focus groups. The paragraph also covers logistical considerations such as the timing, location, and physical setup of the focus group meetings. Dr. Sakamoto emphasizes the role of the facilitator in guiding the discussion and maintaining a comfortable environment for participants, as well as the importance of group guidelines for productive discussions.
🌐 Variations and Applications of Focus Groups
The final paragraph explores variations of focus groups, particularly in community-based participatory research (CBPR), where the goal is to empower those affected by social issues. Dr. Sakamoto discusses the potential for focus groups to foster a sense of community, provide catharsis, and offer helpful information among participants. He also touches on the ethical considerations when conducting focus groups online, such as ensuring confidentiality and informed consent. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for researchers to consider the powerful tool of focus groups in their qualitative research endeavors.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Focus Groups
💡Qualitative Research
💡Group Facilitation
💡Group Dynamics
💡Confidentiality
💡Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
💡Research Design
💡Data Collection
💡Nonverbal Behaviors
💡Mock Focus Group
💡Group Composition
Highlights
Focus groups are a qualitative research method that relies on interaction within a group to gather data.
Dr. Samir Sakamoto has been conducting qualitative research for 20 years, including focus groups.
Focus groups can produce data and insights that would be less accessible without group interaction.
Focus groups have been used since the 1920s and became more popular in the 1960s, often in market and evaluation research.
Focus groups can be used as a stand-alone method or part of a multi-method study.
A case study is presented where focus groups were used to understand the struggles of international students' spouses.
Focus groups can lead to the development of community-based services based on the findings.
Focus groups can also be used to explore complex concepts like 'Canadian experience' through arts-based methods.
Focus groups are versatile and can be adapted to various research questions and populations.
They can produce concentrated amounts of data and lead to spontaneous responses due to group dynamics.
Group facilitation skills are crucial for effective focus group research.
Focus groups have limitations, including potential influence of group dynamics on individual responses.
Confidentiality can be a concern in focus groups, especially when discussing stigmatized topics.
Planning focus groups involves developing a focus group interview guide with main and follow-up questions.
Mock focus groups can help researchers practice and refine their questions and facilitation skills.
Group composition should be carefully considered to ensure diversity and commonality among participants.
Logistics such as location, time, and accessibility should be considered when planning focus groups.
Group facilitators should maintain a balance between keeping the discussion focused and allowing for open dialogue.
Focus groups can be adapted for community-based participatory research to empower participants and drive social change.
Electronic or online focus groups can address logistical issues but present unique ethical considerations.
Dr. Samir Sakamoto encourages further exploration of focus groups through provided readings.
Transcripts
[Music]
hi I'm doctor is mr. Amato associate
professor at the factory met at Faculty
of Social Work at the University of
Toronto
I'm also an academic fellow of the
Center for critical qualitative health
research at the University of Toronto I
have been conducting qualitative
research for the past 20 years including
using focus groups interviews focus
group interviews are one of the most
common ways of gathering qualitative
research data and it's sometimes called
a quick and easy they were conducting
research however conducting focus groups
require quite a bit of planning and
thinking today I will be talking to you
about focus group research as a
qualitative data collection methods
first I will talk about the definition
of focus groups second I will talk about
research design using focus groups what
you need to consider when using focus
groups such as strength limitations and
logistics third I will also discuss what
group facilitation skills to consider as
researchers according to your focus
group guru david morgan focus groups are
basically group interviews but it's
different from group interviews because
instead of the researcher just asking
questions and participants answering
them focus groups rely on the
interaction within the group focus
groups can produce data and insights
that would be will be less accessible
without the interaction found in the
group the focus groups have been used
since the 1920s but became more popular
in the 1960s they are often used in
market research and evaluation research
but in this talk I will be focusing on
the use of focus group as a qualitative
health research methods focus groups can
be used as a stand-alone method when I
was a doctoral student in the United
States a wife of a Japanese businessman
was charged with allegedly killing her
infant son she was suffering from
postpartum depression but did not have
anyone to turn to as an international
student living in the US I wondered
kinds of struggles spouses of
international students and business
scholars may be experiencing in the
university family housing where there
were over thousand residents from other
countries but had limited services
available to them because of their
dependent visa status there were rumors
or anecdotes of these families
experiencing stress but there was no
real data or information to help them I
apply for small funding and conducted
for exploratory focus groups in four
different languages to find out more
about their experiences the findings of
this small study pointed to the
interrelated issues of isolation in the
lack of child care based on the findings
a group of us developed community-based
services for international families in
collaboration with the University and
designed a community-based participatory
research project to further expand on
the first initiative the focus groups
were that you were used as a starting
point of this project and this study
continued for additional four years we
completed working with hundreds of
international families focus groups can
be also used as a part of multi method
study in a research project I led more
recently my colleagues and I interested
in exploring the tacit assumptions
behind the concept of Canadian
experience this concept has been a
barrier to employment for new skilled
immigrants living in Canada we conducted
interviews where we asked service
providers immigrants and immigration
experts what this Canadian experience
really meant but when there they
couldn't articulate well even though the
term is used so widely we turn to the
use of arts and subsequently conducted
seven arts based focus groups with a
theater specialist who helped us design
the use of arts in focus groups as part
of a larger study the data from the
focus groups then were analyzed in
addition to other
we have from in-depth interviews and
participant observation the research
findings were then turned into a theater
production focus groups allowed
participants and researchers together to
brainstorm and solidify the meaning of
Canadian experience again we couldn't
have done it turn into the deeper
meaning of the topic under study without
the power of focus scripts as you can
see a focus group method can be used in
many different ways and it's a versatile
tool to have in your qualitative
research toolbox so why should we
consider using focus groups focus groups
can produce concentrated amounts of data
on a very topic you are interested in
focus groups can lead to spontaneous
responses because of group interactions
researchers can observe nonverbal
behaviors and interaction patterns in
the group settings also focus groups can
generate a variety of ideas and thus is
considered economical and efficient
focus group is flexible and allows for
the use of arts for example then what
about the limitations of focus groups
while the strength of the focus group
have to do with the group's the
limitations also have to do with the
group group's influence on individual
responses meaning that researchers have
less control over the data than they
would in individual interviews group
dynamics could influence individual
answers due to power differentials prior
relationships and personality people may
be emotionally triggered by others
sharing people may not feel comfortable
speaking about certain topics such as
mental health issues or sexual behaviors
in group settings assembling groups can
take time and resources also you need to
have a strong group facilitator to
conduct an effective focus group there
are also limits to confidentiality
researchers can
cannot guarantee researchers cannot
guarantee that the confidentiality can
be kept by all the participants it's
particularly important to consider this
when the topics discussed may include
highly stigmatized identities or
behaviors such as invisible stigma of
HIV positive status or criminalized
activities once you establish that focus
groups are the best data collection
method for your particular research
purposes you will start designing the
specifics running focus groups from the
main research questions you would
develop a focus group interview guide
which usually consists of main questions
and follow-up questions for each the
number of questions you would ask me
vary but if you have 90 minutes in total
for the entire focus group you may have
four to five main questions to allow for
the group group interactions for example
in the research study with Chinese
skilled immigrants we asked questions
such as has your life changed since you
came to Canada if so how when you were
experiencing difficulty what has helped
what was helpful for you what advice
would you give to newcomers in a
newcomers now it's a good idea to have a
mock focus group with research team
members or friends so that you can test
out actual questions they modify them if
necessary if it's the first time you are
using focus group method it's very
important that you practice running a
focus group before you actually do one
or become a co facilitator of a focus
group that somebody else is running so
that you know what to expect in
designing focus groups you would also
need to consider group structure and
composition with respect to structure
you want to consider things such as
where and when to hold a group usually
usually the researcher becomes the
facilitator of the focus group but
depending on the demographics of the
group members you may only have somebody
else run it also you may want to
consider having a co-facilitator
observer or note-taker to help with the
group you also want to think about who
you want in your group and why for
example you don't want to have workers
and supervisors in the same group
this means developing a set set of
inclusion criteria for example in my
previous research using arts I mentioned
earlier I wanted to recruit skilled
immigrants if you have arrived in Canada
recently and were attending employment
services as well as the mentors who are
working with them in composing actual
focus groups logistics such as the time
of the day or the day of the week or
location could dictate who can come but
as much as possible it's also good to
consider that group completion if
relevant avoid somebody being the only
one participant only one participant
from the non minority group such as one
trans person and seven cisgendered
individuals in the same group however
you would also consider intersecting
identities and experiences the gender
identity or racial ethnic identity may
not be the main similarities or
differences among people so you have to
consider both heterogeneity homogeneity
diversity and commonality among people
composing focus groups other logistics
to consider include the physical
location of meeting such as the room
size not too big not too small chairs
are they comfortable not in a lecture
hall with fixed chairs because you want
to see in the circle also you may want
to consider settings confidentiality in
noise levels probably it's not a good
idea to have a group in a cafe or other
open public space also it's important to
consider the accessibility to members
location in community and transportation
issues it usually helps to have some
refreshments like water half
your tea and it's important to have
accessible bathrooms if you're working
with a population with financial
challenges it's important to ensure
having childcare transit tokens and/or
honorarium you may also consider
providing an interpreter if some people
may not speak a common language or find
a skilled group facilitator who can
speak the language for a single language
group focus group can start with
introductions you may want to give an
option for the participants to use
pseudonyms
if the topics discussed are sensitive
for focus groups that will be two hours
long consider having about five main
questions so that you can spend about 20
minutes each per question this could
vary by the nature of questions the
group composition and other variables
you should also leave some time in at
the end to finish the group on a
positive note for example I may ask each
participant to say or write a word or
phrase to describe how their experience
was don't forget to thank them for their
participation at the end with respect to
group facilitators their main tasks are
to keep the discussion focused on the
topic and help people feel as
comfortable as possible in answering
questions facilitators should also
clarify when some something seems
confusing when important questions it's
a good idea to move from general to
specific questions and avoid leading
questions you should watch out for
nonverbal behaviors in this regard
having a co facilitator or observer is
helpful in running focus groups it's
helpful to have group guidelines for
productive discussion this is an example
I have used set own boundaries for
sharing only one person talks at a time
respect confidentiality keep the
personal information shared in the group
within the room speak from your own
experience and avoid generalizing about
goo
so people anything someone wants to say
is important there are no right or wrong
answers to questions the goal really is
to hear all sides of an issue both
positive and negative before and then I
want to also touch on that variations in
focus groups focus groups are often used
in community-based participatory
research or CBP are in CBPR there are
often goals of empowering those affected
by the social issues under study and
moving toward social change using
research but using focus groups
researchers can take advantage of the
power of groups for example participants
will experience similar social issues
may feel that their they are not alone
in their struggles they may feel hopeful
they may feel the sense of catharsis and
they may receive helpful information
focus groups can be run electronically
or online using chat rooms discussion
boards video conferencing and social
media platforms this could address some
of the logistical issues of traditional
focus groups however researchers need to
consider unique ethical issues such as
confidentiality and informed consent
process when using these methods I hope
through this lecture I was able to pique
your interest in learning more about
focus groups there are some further
readings at the end of this video that I
have found useful once again I am dr.
Samir Sakamoto and thank you for
watching
[Music]
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