Analysis Of Focus Group Data Research Articles

Peer review in team-based learning: influencing feedback literacy

BackgroundPeer review in Team-based learning (TBL) exists for three key reasons: to promote reflection on individual behaviours; provide opportunities to develop professional skills; and prevent ‘free riders’ who fail to contribute effectively to team discussions. A well-developed process that engages students is needed. However, evidence suggests it remains a difficult task to effectively incorporate into TBL. The purpose of this study was to assess medical students’ ability to provide written feedback to their peers in TBL, and to explore students’ perception of the process, using the conceptual framework of Biggs ‘3P model’.MethodsYear 2 students (n = 255) participated in peer review twice during 2019. We evaluated the quality of feedback using a theoretically derived rubric, and undertook a qualitative analysis of focus group data to seek explanations for feedback behaviors.ResultsStudents demonstrated reasonable ability to provide positive feedback, but were less prepared to identify areas for improvement. Their ability did not improve over time, and was influenced by the perceived task difficulty; social discomfort; and sense of responsibility in providing written feedback.Conclusions To increase student engagement, we require a transparent process that incorporates verbal feedback and team discussion, with monitoring of outcomes by faculty and adequate training.

Interaction designers’ perceptions of using motion-based full-body features

Movement-based full-body interactions are increasingly being used in the design of interactive spaces, computer-mediated environments, and virtual user experiences due to the development and availability of diverse sensing technologies. In this context, the role of interaction designers is to find systematic and predictable relationships between bodily actions and the corresponding responses from technology. Sensor-based interaction design relies on sensor data analysis and higher-level feature extraction to improve detection capabilities. However, understanding human movement to inform the design of motion-based interactions is not straightforward if the detection capabilities of interaction technologies are unknown. We aim at understanding the problems and opportunities that practitioners—regardless of their technical background—perceive in using different motion-based full-body features. To achieve this, we conducted four separate focus groups with experienced practitioners, with and without technical backgrounds. We used a framework for the analysis of focus group data in information systems research to identify content areas and draw conclusions. Our findings suggest that most interaction designers, regardless of their technical background, consider motion-based feature extraction to be challenging and time-consuming. However, participants acknowledge they might use designer-interpretable features as a potential tool to foster user behavior exploration. Understanding how practitioners link sensor-based interaction design with feature extraction technology is relevant to design computational tools and reduce the technical effort required from designers to characterize the user’s movement.

Student-instructor relationships and ethics education: examining student perceptions of the integrative ethical education model

The National Communication Association has positioned ethics education as a key student learning outcome for those graduating with a degree in communication. However, as central as this learning outcome is, few studies, within communication and across disciplines investigating teaching/learning, have explored specific instructor behaviors that promote students’ ethical development. This study explores how instructor behaviors are recognized by students as fulfilling the integrative ethical education (IEE) model. A relationally based approach, the tenets of the IEE model propose pedagogical practices that can be implemented in order to promote student learning and ethical development. Conducting a thematic analysis of focus group and interview data, we identified specific instructor communication behaviors students connected to the IEE model. Further, our findings suggest that central to implementing the IEE model are the development of a strong student-instructor relationship and classroom community. Implications for ethics education in communication and future research directions are discussed.

Sensory Stimulation of the Foot and Ankle Early Post-stroke: A Pilot and Feasibility Study.

Background: Somatosensory stimulation of the lower extremity could improve motor recovery and walking post-stroke. This pilot study investigated the feasibility of a subsequent randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether task-specific gait training is more effective following either (a) intensive hands-on somatosensory stimulation or (b) wearing textured insoles.Objectives: Determine recruitment and attrition rates, adherence to intervention, acceptability and viability of interventions and outcome measures, and estimate variance of outcome data to inform sample size for a subsequent RCT.Methods: Design: randomized, single-blinded, mixed-methods pilot study.Setting: In-patient rehabilitation ward and community.Participants: n = 34, 18+years, 42–112 days following anterior or posterior circulation stroke, able to follow simple commands, able to walk independently pre-stroke, and providing informed consent.Intervention: Twenty 30-min sessions of task-specific gait training (TSGT) (delivered over 6 weeks) in addition to either: (a) 30–60 min mobilization and tactile stimulation (MTS); or (b) unlimited textured insole (TI) wearing.Outcomes: Ankle range of movement (electrogoniometer), touch-pressure sensory thresholds (Semmes Weinstein Monofilaments), motor impairment (Lower Extremity Motricity Index), walking ability and speed (Functional Ambulation Category, 5-m walk test, pressure insoles) and function (modified Rivermead Mobility Index), measured before randomization, post-intervention, and 1-month thereafter (follow-up). Adherence to allocated intervention and actual dose delivered (fidelity) were documented in case report forms and daily diaries. Focus groups further explored acceptability of interventions and study experience.Analysis: Recruitment, attrition, and dose adherence rates were calculated as percentages of possible totals. Thematic analysis of daily diaries and focus group data was undertaken. Standard deviations of outcome measures were calculated and used to inform a sample size calculation.Results: Recruitment, attrition, and adherence rates were 48.57, 5.88, and 96.88%, respectively. Focus groups, daily-diaries and case report forms indicated acceptability of interventions and outcome measures to participants. The 5-m walk was selected as primary outcome measure for a future trial [mean (SD) at end of intervention: 16.86 (11.24) MTS group and 21.56 (13.57) TI group]; sample size calculation indicated 60 participants are required per group.Conclusion: Recruitment, attrition and adherence rates and acceptability of interventions and outcomes justify a subsequent powered RCT of MTS+TSGT compared with TI+TSGT.

Reflexive Thematic Analysis for Applied Qualitative Health Research

Thematic analysis is a widely cited method for analyzing qualitative data. As a team of graduate students, we sought to explore methods of data analysis that were grounded in qualitative philosophies and aligned with our orientation as applied health researchers. We identified reflexive thematic analysis, developed by Braun and Clarke, as an interpretive method firmly situated within a qualitative paradigm that would also have broad applicability within a range of qualitative health research designs. In this approach to analysis, the subjectivity of the researcher is recognized and viewed not as problematic but instead valued as integral to the analysis process. We therefore elected to explore reflexive thematic analysis, advance and apply our analytic skills in applied qualitative health research, and provide direction and technique for researchers interested in this method of analysis. In this paper, we describe how a multidisciplinary graduate student group of applied health researchers utilized Braun and Clarke’s approach to reflexive thematic analysis. Specifically, we explore and describe our team’s process of data analysis used to analyze focus group data from a study exploring postnatal care referral behavior by traditional birth attendants in Nigeria. This paper illustrates our experience in applying the six phases of reflexive thematic analysis as described by Braun and Clarke: (1) familiarizing oneself with the data, (2) generating codes, (3) constructing themes, (4) reviewing potential themes, (5) defining and naming themes, and (6) producing the report. We highlight our experiences through each phase, outline strategies to support analytic quality, and share practical activities to guide the use of reflexive thematic analysis within an applied health research context and when working within research teams.

Investigating Quality of Life from the Perspectives of Older Adults in Local Communities

ABSTRACT Governments are increasingly interested in measuring quality of life (QoL) among older adults to inform policy. We demonstrate the advantages of situating an investigation of QoL in local contexts through a thematic analysis of focus group data collected in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. Local and broader factors relating to QoL among older adults were explored. We examine three themes: Natural Environment considers how participants derive aspects of their sense of QoL from the unique natural environment in Chatham-Kent; Amalgamation’s Influence on Identity explores how participants’ sense of belongingness and place-based identity were shaped by the amalgamation of townships and communities that now constitute Chatham-Kent; and Ease of Travel and Independence examines how older adults’ conceptions of QoL are closely connected to their ease of travel, which they connect with a sense of independence. Our findings provide further support for the importance of engaging directly with older adults to understand their perspectives of QoL in a local context, particularly when seeking to inform policy changes.

Participatory autism research: Early career and established researchers' views and experiences.

Despite more autism research taking place than ever before, there is a disconnect between the current landscape of autism research and what autistic people and their allies want from research. While participatory research has been proposed as a potential solution, we know little about how researchers (particularly, early career researchers) employ this approach. We interviewed 25 researchers (14 early career and 11 established researchers) about their views and experiences of participatory autism research. Through reflexive thematic analysis of interview and focus group data, we identified three themes. First, our participants emphasised the flexible nature of participatory research, and the many forms it can take; yet noted that this flexibility could cause confusion. Second, our participants highlighted the importance of building relationships with research partners, while commenting on the challenges around effective communication and working with diverse groups of people who may have limited research experience. Finally, participants described the challenges of working within academic environments that are not conducive to participatory research (e.g. due to limited time, funding and support). We discuss these issues with regard to changes required at both an individual and systemic level, ensuring that efforts are made to meaningfully involve autistic people and their allies in all stages of the research process.Lay abstract‘Participatory autism research’ refers to ways of involving autistic people and their allies (e.g. family members) in making decisions about research. These decisions can include what research gets done, how it gets done and how research findings are used. While there is more and more interest in participatory autism research, we know little about how researchers at different stages of their careers use this approach. To find out more, we discussed these issues with 25 researchers. Fourteen of these were at an early stage of their careers, and 11 were more senior researchers. We spoke to people in individual interviews or in groups. We then used a technique called thematic analysis to analyse our data, which involved us looking for common topics or ‘themes’ discussed by our participants. What did we find? Our participants told us that participatory autism research was a flexible approach, meaning that autistic people can be involved in research in many different ways. While people viewed this flexibility in a positive way, it also caused some confusion about what does or does not ‘count’ as participatory research. Our participants also spoke about how important it was to build relationships with those involved in their research, but they also said it could be difficult to communicate well with diverse groups of people who may not have much experience of research. Finally, our participants said it was hard to do participatory research when there was not much time, funding or support available to researchers. In this article, we discuss these findings, focusing on what needs to change to ensure that autistic people and their allies are meaningfully involved in autism research.

549-P: Understanding PCP Perspectives in a Project ECHO T1D Program Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research

The Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO™) model addresses disparities by empowering primary care provider (PCPs), through tele-education, to meet the needs of underserved communities lacking access to subspecialty care. Given the rapid replication of this model, it is vital to understand the perspectives of participating PCPs to refine program implementation. Project ECHO™ Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) program was piloted in Florida and California with >15 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). PCPs completed pre/post-test surveys assessing knowledge and confidence in T1D care. Exit surveys and focus groups were conducted to understand their experiences (N=92 providers, 41 from FL and 51 from CA were queried). Qualitative analysis of open-ended survey feedback and thematic analysis of focus group data used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). The CFIR identifies five domains that affect intervention implementation - including internal and external factors to the healthcare organization. Pre/post surveys demonstrated significant improvements in providers’ diabetes knowledge; mean ± SD change in score for an 11-item knowledge evaluation from pre/post: (1.0 ± 1.8, [Min: -2, Max: +5], p-value: 0.0003) and increase in overall confidence evaluated on a 4-point likert scale (0.6 ± 0.4 [Min: -0.1, Max: 1.6] p-value <0.0001). 95% of providers would recommend the program to a colleague and 63% reported a change in their T1D clinical care practices. CFIR identified the quality of content presented in ECHO sessions and the expertise of the subspecialty mentors as characteristics that facilitated success. Inner setting factors identified as barriers included challenges related to attending weekly ECHO sessions and lack of resources to cover providers’ time away from clinic. Evaluation of Project ECHO programs should include the use of CFIR to better anticipate facilitators and barriers to program implementation. Disclosure A. F. Walker: None. S. L. Filipp: None. K. Turner: None. G. L. Zori: None. J. Maizel: None. N. Cuttriss: Consultant; Self; Cecelia Health. L. G. Baer: None. L. Figg: None. K. K. Hood: Consultant; Self; Cecelia Health, Cercacor, LifeScan Diabetes Institute. R. Lal: Consultant; Self; Abbott Diabetes, Biolinq, Capillary Biomedical, Inc., Morgan Stanley, Tidepool. M. Basina: None. M. J. Haller: Board Member; Self; SAB Biotherapeutics, Inc., Consultant; Self; MannKind Corporation, Other Relationship; Self; Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sanofi. J. J. Wong: None. K. Yabut: None. D. Naranjo: None. E. Lewit: None. D. M. Maahs: Advisory Panel; Self; Abbott Diabetes, Dompe, Eli Lilly and Company, Medtronic, Novo Nordisk, Consultant; Self; aditxt. E. Sheehan: None. S. C. Westen: None. C. Anez-zabala: None. X. Roque: None. B. C. Fitzgerald: None. A. Bernier: None. M. J. Gurka: None. Funding The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

Qualitative evaluation of a sports-based mental health literacy program for adolescent males

ObjectiveThis study aimed to understand adolescent males' experience of participating in a sports-based mental health literacy intervention (Help Out a Mate), and provide insight into their perceptions of the effectiveness and implementation of the program. MethodThirty-three adolescent males (12–15 years old) who had recently participated in Help Out a Mate took part in six focus groups. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse focus group data, and a number of strategies were employed to enhance the trustworthiness of this account, including peer debrief, grounding in examples, and prolonged engagement. ResultsThese data indicated that these adolescent males broadly had a positive experience of Help Out a Mate and reported that the program was effective in terms of mental health literacy outcomes including increased knowledge of mental health, and increased confidence and intentions to seek and provide help. Delivering the program in the context of sport was reported as engaging, and preferable to delivery in a school context. Whilst some adolescents reported reductions in stigmatising attitudes following the program, others expressed a maintenance of these attitudes, suggesting addressing stigma remains a challenge for mental health literacy workshops. Further, adolescents reported that the program could be improved by including more practical activities and better group management by facilitators. ConclusionsThese findings identify important insights into adolescent males' perspectives of the effectiveness and importance of Help Out A Mate as a sports-based mental health literacy intervention, and suggest a number of strategies for improving participation and engagement.

Governance—Structures and Human Perspectives

When we use the word governance in the context of project-, program-, and portfolio management (P3M), often we assume governance has a shared understanding; it is not always the case, more often, it is not. Using the context of the Gateway Review program in The Netherlands, this article introduces two concepts of governance: structure governance and relational governance. Both are needed and operate in a tradeoff, depending on the project dynamics and administrative attention. These concepts were based on focus group sessions and data analysis from the Gateway Reviews.

Harnessing Technologies in Focus Group Research

AbstractFocus group research is a useful methodology within and beyond the field of political science, as a source of core or supplementary data. The focus group literature is rich and full of guidance, but advice on using digital tools in certain stages of focus group research is relatively scarce. Aiming to fill those gaps, this article draws on experience with two projects in order to outline how researchers can harness technologies for focus group recruitment and data analysis. While traditional recruitment and data analysis techniques are useful, we identify advantages of technology-assisted approaches, particularly for focus group research with marginalized communities. Geared to both new and existing focus group users, the article identifies fruitful ways to harness a wider range of technologies for conducting focus group research while maintaining consistency with established principles and practices.

Parent and practitioner perspectives on Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P): A qualitative study.

Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) is an attachment-theory-informed program for parents of infants and young children. Designed for scalability, COS-P has been widely adopted internationally. Evidence for the program's effectiveness is limited, however, restricting capacity to make informed decisions about program allocation, and threatening ongoing program funding. To help address this evidence gap, this qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of 20 COS-P facilitators and 14 parent recipients in Australia, where COS-P uptake has been particularly widespread. Thematic analysis of combined interview and focus group data revealed a perception that COS-P primarily changes the lens through which parents view (a) their child, (b) themselves in the parenting role, and (c) the parent-child relationship, and that this was a pathway to increased empathy, compassion, and parenting confidence. Participants identified four components that underpinned program impact: key content, skills practice, group processes, and facilitator support. Although COS-P was considered suitable for broad application, limitations were noted. Findings can guide clinical application of COS-P and inform empirical research.

A comparative analysis of White and Indigenous girls’ perspectives on sexual violence, toxic masculinity and rape culture

North American feminist scholarship on violence against women (VAW) focuses primarily on gendered-based violence and does not substantively incorporate intersectionality. In this paper, I offer a comparative analysis of Canadian Indigenous and White middle-class adolescent girls’ narratives of toxic masculinity, rape culture and sexual violence. I use VAW research, Indigenous feminist theory and girlhood studies to focus on the following: (1) the ‘boys will be boys’ discourse, (2) the feminist critique of the stranger danger discourse and (3) the surveillance of girls. I analyze focus group data with girls (aged 13–19 years). I am interested in how girls both accept and resist the status quo in their day-to-day negotiations with family, peers, schools and public spaces.

Researcher practitioner engagement in health research: The development of a new concept.

The engagement of frontline practitioners in the production of research-derived knowledge is often advocated. Doing so can address perceived gaps between what is known from research and what happens in clinical practice. Engagement practices span a continuum, from co-production approaches underpinned by principles of equality and power sharing to those which can minimalize practitioners' contributions to the knowledge production process. We observed a conceptual gap in published healthcare literature that labels or defines practitioners' meaningful contribution to the research process. We, therefore, aimed to develop the concept of "Researcher Practitioner Engagement" in the context of academically initiated healthcare research in the professions of nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech and language therapy. Guided by Schwartz-Barcott et al.'s hybrid model of concept development, published examples were analyzed to establish the attributes, antecedents, and consequences of this type of engagement. Academic researchers (n = 17) and frontline practitioners (n = 8) with relevant experience took part in online focus groups to confirm, eliminate, or elaborate on these proposed concept components. Combined analysis of theoretical and focus group data showed that the essence of this form of engagement is that practitioners' clinical knowledge is valued from a study's formative stages. The practitioner's clinical perspectives inform problem-solving and decision-making in study activities and enhance the professional and practice relevance of a study. The conceptual model produced from the study findings forms a basis to guide engagement practices, future concept testing, and empirical evaluation of engagement practices.

Perspectives of Nurses in Mississippi on Implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative

ObjectiveTo describe the experiences and perceptions of Mississippi maternity nurses in hospitals that gained Baby-Friendly designation, including perceived barriers and facilitators to implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. DesignDescriptive qualitative study using thematic analysis of focus group data. SettingMaternity care services of five Baby-Friendly–designated hospitals in Mississippi. ParticipantsTwenty-two maternity nurses. MethodsWe conducted 90-minute in-person focus groups in which participants described their hospitals’ Baby-Friendly experiences. We analyzed focus group transcripts thematically to describe the facilitators and barriers to implementation of the Baby-Friendly initiative. ResultsWe identified five main themes: The Change Required for BFHI Was Hard, Nurses Felt Empowered by Taking Leadership Roles, Patient Education Was Pivotal to Practice Implementation, Nurses Felt Challenged by Unintended Consequences, and Attitudes Changed From Negative to Positive Over the Course of Adoption. ConclusionParticipants from hospitals throughout Mississippi shared similar experiences and cited common facilitators and barriers to achieving Baby-Friendly designation. Participants described the overall process of Baby-Friendly designation as challenging but worthwhile because of the resulting improvements in maternity care, nurses’ knowledge, and health outcomes for women and their newborns. Nurses at other hospitals that seek to obtain designation can learn from these experiences to make their own transitions easier.

What is(n’t) a friend? Dimensions of the friendship concept among adolescents

Much research in network analysis of adolescent friendships assumes that friendships represent liking and social interaction, friendships are directed, and friendships are equivalent to one another. This study investigates the meaning of friendship for eight diverse cohorts of sixth graders. Analysis of focus group and survey data suggests that these adolescents construe friendship as a multidimensional role relation composed primarily of relational norms, expectations for mutual behavior. Their friendship definitions may also include mutual liking and interaction, and other structural expectations such as reciprocity, homophily, and transitivity. Lastly, boys and girls weight these dimensions differently in defining friendship.

Social Ecology of Hypertension Management Among Latinos Living in the U.S.–Mexico Border Region

While a growing body of research examines individual factors affecting the prevalence and management of hypertension among Latinos, less is known about how socioecological factors operate to determine health and affect implementation of interventions in rural communities. We conducted eight focus groups to assess perceived risks and protective factors associated with managing hypertension among Latino adults and their family members living in two rural/frontier counties in the U.S.-Mexico border region. This analysis is part of a larger study, Corazon por la Vida (Heart for Life), which involved multiple data collection strategies to evaluate the effectiveness of a primary care and a promotora de salud intervention to manage hypertension. Of the 49 focus group participants, 70% were female and 30% were male, 39% were Spanish-only speakers, and 84% had hypertension. Participants' ages ranged between 18 and 75 years, and 63% reported annual incomes below $30,000. Drawing from a social-ecological framework to analyze focus group data, four major themes and subthemes emerged as factors facilitating or inhibiting disease management: (1) individual (emotional burdens, coping mechanisms), (2) social relationships (family as a source of support, family as a source of stress), (3) health system (trust/mistrust, patient-provider communication), and (4) environment (lack of access to safe exercise environment, lack of affordable food). Our findings are relevant to public health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers seeking to shift from individual level or single interventions aimed at improving treatment-modality adherence to multilevel or multiple interventions for rural Latino communities.

Role boundary management during Covid-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis of focus group data with working-student mothers

This qualitative study explores the experiences of role boundary management of working-student mothers during COVID-19 pandemic shelter in place order. A thematic analysis was used to examine the experiences and consequences of role blurring due to remote work, school closures, and remote learning and the strategies used to cope with the demands of three roles – being a mother, a worker, and a student. Eight participants enrolled in higher education programs participated in a focus group using Zoom technology. Several experiences of role blurring and barriers to satisfactorily manage all the roles emerged from the analysis. Strategies to cope with permanent demands seemed to have had only a small effect on working-student mothers' adjustment and well-being as they navigated through the days of shelter in place order. Implications for a better understanding of the experience and impacts of role boundary management during COVID-19 are discussed.

Gardens with Kerb Appeal - A Framework to Understand the Relationship between Britain in Bloom Gardeners and Their Front Gardens

Britain in Bloom is a UK national campaign to help people improve their local environment through gardening, a popular and accessible pastime. This research presents a framework to understand the relationships between gardeners and their front gardens (yards). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of focus group data with 20 Britain in Bloom gardeners in Greater London explores why people garden in front gardens, how social cohesion may emerge from front gardening activities, and the health benefits of the presence of front gardens for residents and passersby. Front gardens played a key role in supporting participants’ personal identity and self-expression. Maintaining a front garden was seen as making a positive and satisfying contribution to their local area and to others’ pleasure. Social cohesion in the street or neighborhood occurred through informal verbal communication and knowledge-sharing. These findings are relevant to the impacts of front gardens and community greening initiatives in private spaces.

Feasibility and acceptability of implementing the Making Friends with Yourself intervention on a college campus

Objective: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of Making Friends with Yourself (MFY): A Mindful Self-Compassion Program for Teens and Young Adults with a sample of college students. A secondary objective was to explore changes in psychosocial outcomes. Participants: Twenty-five students (23 females; mean age 20.35 years) enrolled in the 8-week intervention. Methods: Feasibility was measured by attendance and retention of participants; acceptability was determined through analysis of focus group data. Psychosocial outcomes were assessed through analyses of pre- and post-intervention measures. Results: The intervention was feasible as 20 students attended at least seven of eight classes, and 21 completed the program. Students found the intervention acceptable and reported significant increases in mindfulness and self-compassion and decreased perceived stress from pre- to post-intervention. However, academic stress increased. Conclusions: MFY may be a feasible and acceptable program to offer to college students. Further piloting in college student populations is recommended.