Enhancing the Potentials of the Focus Group Discussion – Engaging Frequently Neglected but Essential Situational Factors for Analyzing Data

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This research examines the critical role situational factors play in shaping focus group discussions by investigating into them through an empirical study on the mental health challenges faced by university students in China in the post-pandemic era. Although the method of focus group has long been used across disciplines, the impact of situational factors on influencing the dynamics and outcomes during the discussions is yet to be fully explored. To fill this research gap and enhance the richness, completeness, and quality of the results yielded by the focus group discussion, we draw on Vicsek’s (2007) framework to investigate three key situational factors – interactional elements, participant characteristics, and moderator influence – to find out how they affected participants’ sharing, interactions, and engagement when they discussed topics on mental health issues. Data were drawn from six focus groups conducted among 57 participants, including 39 female students and 18 male students from a Chinese university. Our findings highlight situational factors’ significant influence on the depth, development, and richness of group discussions. By engaging and analyzing these factors, researchers can enhance the methodological quality and credibility of qualitative research, which may help them gain deeper insights into participants’ experiences and perspectives.