Conducting a Participatory Situation Analysis of.pdf - Global HIV ...

Stages of Focus Group Discussions and Qualitative In-Depth Interviews
Conversational style is a shared characteristic of both
in-depth interviews and focus group discussions
(FGDs).The main difference between the two is that
FGD participants converse with each other with
prompts from the moderator, while the in-depth
interviewer has a one-on-one conversation with one
participant.The natural flow in both of these situations
distinguishes these qualitative methods from quantitative
interviewing, which is more rigid.The stages of
conversation include:
1. Creating natural involvement. Beginning with an informal
chat is a good way to set the stage for the
relaxed atmosphere needed for open discussion. If
the interview is to be tape-recorded, explain that it
will be helpful to the team and that all records will
be kept secure and confidential.
2. Encouraging conversational competence. During the
first few minutes of an interview or group
encounter, the moderator or interviewer sets the
tone for the interaction that follows. Interviewers
and moderators should start with easy, non-threatening
questions that allow participants to feel sure
about what they know and pleased to have an
appreciative ear.
3. Showing understanding. Interviewers and moderators
encourage openness and depth by showing they
understand and empathize with what the participant
is conveying.
4. Getting the facts and basic description. After the interaction
begins to flow, interaction can move to
descriptive material, holding delicate or emotionally
charged questions for later.
5. Asking difficult questions. After an atmosphere of
trust and comfort is established, the interaction can
move to more difficult questions that require openness
to discuss (e.g., culturally taboo topics such as
death).
6. Toning down the emotional level. If a participant begins
to feel uncomfortably exposed, the interviewer or
moderator must restore the sense of privacy.This
may be achieved by reminding a respondent that the
information is confidential and/or by turning the
interview around and asking if the respondent has
any questions or any answers to other questions.
7. Closing while maintaining contact. After expressing
appreciation to the participant, informal conversation
may continue.
8. Debriefing. Depending on the topic, some participants
may ask the moderator issue-related questions
during the group discussion. For example,
someone may ask how many orphans and vulnerable
children live in the area? Answering such questions
is not the moderator’s role; the moderator
should not be the one to educate or provide technical
information.A plan should be in place to have
a knowledgeable person address a group’s questions
after the discussion is closed.This knowledgeable
person should not be a member of the analysis
team because that could raise suspicion and mistrust
between participants and the team.This could
happen if a team member provided information to
correct misinformation that came out during the
discussion (e.g., causes of HIV/AIDS).
contribution of qualitative research to understanding
human values, attitudes, and behavior.
Timelines
Most interviews or FGDs should take 60 to 90 minutes;
in-depth interviews can range from 20 to 120 minutes
depending on the type of interview (e.g., with government
official or to obtain an organizational inventory).
The interviewer or moderator must be alert to participant
fatigue, including distractions or loss of interest,
and conclude the discussion while it is still a positive
experience. A thorough pre-test will help gauge how long
to remain on any one topic and how to move ahead
without rushing participants. But, however careful the
planning, there will always be variations in how individuals
and groups respond.
A common timeframe for a focus group study calls for
one group discussion each morning. The afternoon is
then devoted to transcription and translation, a process
that typically takes 3 to 4 hours for each hour of taped
discussion time. Translation adds considerably more
time. When typing from handwritten transcription, an
additional 1 to 2 hours is necessary. If it is necessary to
hold FGDs in the afternoon or evening, the following
morning can be used to transcribe, translate, and
review the data. In general, two to three FGDs per day
is the norm.
Other issues to consider when estimating time in the
field are the supervisory needs of data collectors. The less
experienced the interviewers and transcribers in qualitative
techniques, the more time they will need with a
supervisor.
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