scholarly journals Use of Web Conferencing Technology for Conducting Online Focus Groups Among Young People With Lived Experience of Suicidal Thoughts: Mixed Methods Research (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Han ◽  
Michelle Torok ◽  
Nyree Gale ◽  
Quincy JJ Wong ◽  
Aliza Werner-Seidler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Prevention Research ◽  
Web Conferencing ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
The Web

BACKGROUND There is an increasing interest in engaging people with lived experience in suicide prevention research. However, young people with suicidal thoughts have been described as a “hard-to-include” population due to time, distance, stigma, and social barriers. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate whether conducting synchronous Web conferencing technology–based online focus groups (W-OFGs) is a feasible method to engage young people with lived experience of suicidal thoughts in suicide prevention research. METHODS Young people aged between 16 and 25 years and living in Sydney, Australia, were recruited through flyers, emails, and social media advertisements. The W-OFGs were established using a Web conferencing technology called GoToMeeting. Participants’ response rate, attendance, and feedback of the W-OFGs were analyzed to determine whether the W-OFG system is feasible for suicide prevention research. Researchers’ reflections about how to effectively implement the W-OFGs were also reported as part of the results. RESULTS In the pre–W-OFG survey, 39 (97.5%) young people (n=40) chose to attend the online focus group. Among the 22 participants who responded to the W-OFG invitations, 15 confirmed that they would attend the W-OFGs, of which 11 participants attended the W-OFGs. Feedback collected from the participants in the W-OFG and the post–W-OFG survey suggested that online focus groups are acceptable to young people in suicide prevention research. Considerations for selecting the Web conferencing platform, conducting the mock W-OFGs, implementing the risk management procedure, inviting participants to the W-OFGs, and hosting and moderating the W-OFGs as well as a few potential ethical and pragmatic challenges in using this method are discussed in this study. CONCLUSIONS The Web conferencing technology provides a feasible replacement for conventional methods, particularly for qualitative research involving vulnerable populations and stigmatized topics including suicide prevention. Our results indicate that this modality is an optimal alternative to engage young people in the focus group discussion. Future studies should compare the data collected from the Web conferencing technology and conventional face-to-face methods in suicide prevention research to determine if these two methods are equivalent in data quality from a quantitative approach.

scholarly journals Use of Web Conferencing Technology for Conducting Online Focus Groups Among Young People With Lived Experience of Suicidal Thoughts: Mixed Methods Research

10.2196/14191 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. e14191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Han ◽  
Michelle Torok ◽  
Nyree Gale ◽  
Quincy JJ Wong ◽  
Aliza Werner-Seidler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Prevention Research ◽  
Web Conferencing ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
The Web

Background There is an increasing interest in engaging people with lived experience in suicide prevention research. However, young people with suicidal thoughts have been described as a “hard-to-include” population due to time, distance, stigma, and social barriers. Objective This study aims to investigate whether conducting synchronous Web conferencing technology–based online focus groups (W-OFGs) is a feasible method to engage young people with lived experience of suicidal thoughts in suicide prevention research. Methods Young people aged between 16 and 25 years and living in Sydney, Australia, were recruited through flyers, emails, and social media advertisements. The W-OFGs were established using a Web conferencing technology called GoToMeeting. Participants’ response rate, attendance, and feedback of the W-OFGs were analyzed to determine whether the W-OFG system is feasible for suicide prevention research. Researchers’ reflections about how to effectively implement the W-OFGs were also reported as part of the results. Results In the pre–W-OFG survey, 39 (97.5%) young people (n=40) chose to attend the online focus group. Among the 22 participants who responded to the W-OFG invitations, 15 confirmed that they would attend the W-OFGs, of which 11 participants attended the W-OFGs. Feedback collected from the participants in the W-OFG and the post–W-OFG survey suggested that online focus groups are acceptable to young people in suicide prevention research. Considerations for selecting the Web conferencing platform, conducting the mock W-OFGs, implementing the risk management procedure, inviting participants to the W-OFGs, and hosting and moderating the W-OFGs as well as a few potential ethical and pragmatic challenges in using this method are discussed in this study. Conclusions The Web conferencing technology provides a feasible replacement for conventional methods, particularly for qualitative research involving vulnerable populations and stigmatized topics including suicide prevention. Our results indicate that this modality is an optimal alternative to engage young people in the focus group discussion. Future studies should compare the data collected from the Web conferencing technology and conventional face-to-face methods in suicide prevention research to determine if these two methods are equivalent in data quality from a quantitative approach.

Digital Teens

2013 ◽  
pp. 129-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Maria Cavagnero ◽  
Maria Adelaide Gallina ◽  
Renato Grimaldi
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Leisure Time ◽  
Related Services ◽  
The Web

The aim of the research is to understand how much the use of the Web and its related services affect the lives of young people, as well as to reflect on the existence, or not, of a gap between students of secondary schools of first and second level. The research was carried out using a “focus group,” and it involved a total of 105 students, divided into two groups, of first and second level at secondary school. Their age ranged between 11 and 19. Each student had also had to answer to a questionnaire. By conducting focus groups, the authors investigated how young people use of the Web and how the tools of interaction affect different aspects of their lives: school, leisure time, and family.

scholarly journals Acceptability, Safety, and Resonance of the Pilot Digital Suicide Prevention Campaign “Better Off With You”: Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elise Rose Carrotte ◽  
Marianne Webb ◽  
Anna Flego ◽  
Bonnie Vincent ◽  
Jack Heath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Interpersonal Theory ◽  
User Testing ◽  
Perceived Burdensomeness ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
Prevention Campaign

BACKGROUND The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide posits that there are three key elements of suicidal behavior: perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and the acquired capability for suicide. The digital campaign <i>Better Off With You</i> was developed to directly challenge the idea of perceived burdensomeness among people who are contemplating suicide in 2 communities within Australia. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to explore the needs and preferences of people with lived experience of suicidal thoughts and actions to inform the development of <i>Better Off With You.</i> METHODS This study involved a series of focus groups that aimed to discuss campaign messaging, scope, and approach. People with lived experience of suicidal thoughts and actions attended the focus groups. After the completion of initial focus groups, the results informed the creation of campaign collateral by creative agencies. Early versions of the campaign collateral were then presented in the user testing sessions. Transcriptions were analyzed via thematic analysis. RESULTS In total, 13 participants attended the focus groups and 14 attended the user testing sessions. The following three overarching themes were presented: <i>acceptability</i>, <i>safety</i>, and <i>resonance</i>. Participants believed that suicide is a serious and ongoing issue in their communities and welcomed a localized suicide prevention focus via peer-to-peer storytelling. The idea of perceived burdensomeness required clarification but was perceived as acceptable and relevant. Participants seemed drawn toward peer narratives that they perceived to be authentic, genuine, and believable as given by real people with lived experience. Campaign messaging needs to be clear and empathetic while directly talking about suicide. Participants did not anticipate any significant negative or harmful impact from any campaign videos and highlighted the importance of providing appropriate help-seeking information. CONCLUSIONS This iterative study provided important insights and knowledge about peer-to-peer storytelling in suicide prevention campaigns. Future campaigns should involve simple messaging, be validating and empathetic, and consider including a lived experience perspective.

Locating Presence and Positions in Online Focus Group Text with Stance-Shift Analysis

2011 ◽  
pp. 634-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boyd Davis ◽  
Peyton Mason
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Social Cues ◽  
Primary Mode ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
Shift Analysis ◽  
Group Members

Social cues in online focus groups surface in the ways group members manipulate language, to signal their attitudinal shifts in position toward the group’s topics and what both moderators and members may have said. Their primary mode is task-based: their “job” is to respond to topics introduced by the focus group moderator; they also engage in “sidebar chat” among themselves. Using stance-shift analysis on a million-word corpus of online text genres, we identify 10 characteristics of online focus group chat, which may help researchers and retailers to identify when and how group participants might be strongly committed to what they have just written.

Stance Analysis

2011 ◽  
pp. 262-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peyton Mason ◽  
Boyd Davis ◽  
Deborah Bosley
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Multivariate Techniques ◽  
Online Chat ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Focus Group Data ◽  
Marketing Information

In this chapter, we will first discuss what stance is and highlight how we identify and measure stance using multivariate techniques, using an ongoing example taken from an Online Financial Focus Group. We review differences in stance between online real-time focus groups and online chat, as well as between online and face-to-face focus groups; and finally, proffer examples of stance analysis in two very different online focus groups: older adults discussing financial services and teens discussing clothes. As marketers see that online focus groups offer valuable marketing information by understanding the significance of how something is said as well as what is said, their confidence in the use of online focus-group data should increase.

scholarly journals How is Participating in Suicide Prevention Activities Experienced by Those with Lived and Living Experiences of Suicide in Australia? A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (13) ◽  
pp. 4635
Author(s):  
Sarah Wayland ◽  
Kathy McKay ◽  
Myfanwy Maple
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Prevention Research ◽  
Emotional Labour ◽  
Best Practice Guidelines ◽  
Prevention Activities ◽  
The Impact

People with a lived experience of suicide are commonly included within suicide prevention research. This includes participation in conferences, policy development, research and other activities. Yet little is known about the impact on the person in the long term of regularly sharing one’s experience to different audiences and, in some cases, to a schedule not of your choosing. This qualitative study asked twenty people to share their reflections of being lived experience representatives within suicide prevention. Participants varied in the length of time they had been sharing their stories, and how they shared with different audiences. These narratives were thematically analysed within a reflective framework, including field notes. Four broad themes were noted that highlighted participants’ recommendations as to how the lived experience speaker training could grow alongside suicide prevention activities to facilitate safe activities that include a shared understanding of the expected outcome from participation. The environment for people with lived experience of suicide to tell their stories already exists, meaning that the suicide prevention sector needs to move quickly to ensure people understand the variety of spaces where lived experience needs to be incorporated, evaluated and better supported. When lived experience is a valued inclusion in the creation of effective and appropriate suicide prevention research and interventions, those who share their experience must be valued and supported in a way that reflects this. This study recommends strategies to practically and emotionally support speakers, including ways to ensure debriefing and support, which can enhance the longevity of the speakers in the suicide prevention space by valuing the practical and emotional labour required to be suicide prevention representatives, with an outcome recommendation for best practice guidelines for those who engage people with lived experience in suicide prevention activities.

scholarly journals Developing a Suicide Prevention Social Media Campaign With Young People (The #Chatsafe Project): Co-Design Approach

10.2196/17520 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. e17520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pinar Thorn ◽  
Nicole TM Hill ◽  
Michelle Lamblin ◽  
Zoe Teh ◽  
Rikki Battersby-Coulter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young People ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Media Campaign ◽  
Youth Engagement ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Campaign Strategy ◽  
Attitudes Toward Suicide ◽  
The Web

Background Young people commonly use social media platforms to communicate about suicide. Although research indicates that this communication may be helpful, the potential for harm still exists. To facilitate safe communication about suicide on social media, we developed the #chatsafe guidelines, which we sought to implement via a national social media campaign in Australia. Population-wide suicide prevention campaigns have been shown to improve knowledge, awareness, and attitudes toward suicide. However, suicide prevention campaigns will be ineffective if they do not reach and resonate with their target audience. Co-designing suicide prevention campaigns with young people can increase the engagement and usefulness of these youth interventions. Objective This study aimed to document key elements of the co-design process; to evaluate young people’s experiences of the co-design process; and to capture young people’s recommendations for the #chatsafe suicide prevention social media campaign. Methods In total, 11 co-design workshops were conducted, with a total of 134 young people aged between 17 and 25 years. The workshops employed commonly used co-design strategies; however, modifications were made to create a safe and comfortable environment, given the population and complexity and sensitivity of the subject matter. Young people’s experiences of the workshops were evaluated through a short survey at the end of each workshop. Recommendations for the campaign strategy were captured through a thematic analysis of the postworkshop discussions with facilitators. Results The majority of young people reported that the workshops were both safe (116/131, 88.5%) and enjoyable (126/131, 96.2%). They reported feeling better equipped to communicate safely about suicide on the web and feeling better able to identify and support others who may be at risk of suicide. Key recommendations for the campaign strategy were that young people wanted to see bite-sized sections of the guidelines come to life via shareable content such as short videos, animations, photographs, and images. They wanted to feel visible in campaign materials and wanted all materials to be fully inclusive and linked to resources and support services. Conclusions This is the first study internationally to co-design a suicide prevention social media campaign in partnership with young people. The study demonstrates that it is feasible to safely engage young people in co-designing a suicide prevention intervention and that this process produces recommendations, which can usefully inform suicide prevention campaigns aimed at youth. The fact that young people felt better able to safely communicate about suicide on the web as a result of participation in the study augurs well for youth engagement with the national campaign, which was rolled out across Australia. If effective, the campaign has the potential to better prepare many young people to communicate safely about suicide on the web.

scholarly journals Young People’s Attitudes and Motivations Toward Social Media and Mobile Apps for Weight Control: Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charoula Konstantia Nikolaou ◽  
Zoey Tay ◽  
Jodie Leu ◽  
Salome Antonette Rebello ◽  
Lisa Te Morenga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Young People ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Online Focus Groups

BACKGROUND Effective prevention at a young enough age is critical to halt the obesity epidemic. Mobile health (mHealth) apps would potentially reach large numbers at low-cost. While there is already a profusion of lifestyle apps, they are mostly non-evidence-based and evidently ineffective against rising obesity prevalence. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore preferences and usage of lifestyle apps among young people in 6 countries. METHODS A mixed methods study was conducted among young people aged 13 to 24 years residing in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Singapore, and New Zealand. Participants were recruited from Web advertisements on Facebook, asking for volunteers interested in mobile apps in general, not specific to lifestyle or health, to complete a short survey comprising 18 questions on demographics, weight gain, and mobile app preferences and then to join English-language online focus groups, which were held during 2017, in password-protected Web rooms, moderated by an experienced researcher. Descriptive statistics were carried out for the survey, and thematic analysis was applied to transcripts. RESULTS A total of 2285 young people (610 adolescents aged 13-17 years and 1675 young adults aged 18-24 years) responded and completed the survey, with 72.0% (1645) reported being concerned about weight gain for themselves or friends. Later, 807 young people (376 adolescents and 431 young adults) were selected based on age and country to participate in 12 online focus groups, with 719 young people completing. Analysis revealed 4 main themes: (1) feelings toward personal weight; (2) perception of lifestyle apps and desired content for weight gain prevention; (3) social media apps, lifestyle apps, and motivation for downloading and retaining; and (4) data safety and data usage and confidentiality. Young people are interested in evidence-based advice in programs incorporating their preferences. CONCLUSIONS Young people are commonly, and consistently across 6 countries, concerned about weight gain and obesity and would welcome evidence-based mHealth programs, provided the views of young people themselves are incorporated in the program content.

scholarly journals Using Message Boards to Conduct Online Focus Groups

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Deggs ◽  
Kenda Grover ◽  
Kit Kacirek
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Message Board ◽  
Research Subjects ◽  
Message Boards ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Geographic Dispersion ◽  
Online Focus Groups ◽  
Board System

Geographic dispersion of research subjects can make traditional face-to-face focus groups difficult if not impractical to conduct. Online focus groups have many advantages such as enabling researchers to save costs, allowing for more efficient collection of data, and allowing researchers to accommodate research subjects' schedules. However, online focus groups require greater skill on the part of the researcher and research subjects alike. This manuscript chronicles the process that we recently used to conduct an online focus group using a message board system with graduate students enrolled in an online degree program. We explain the processes that were followed in conducting our study and the rationale behind the decisions that we made as qualitative researchers. Finally, we offer guidance and insight for other qualitative researchers who wish to utilize message boards to conduct online focus groups.

scholarly journals Young People’s Attitudes and Motivations Toward Social Media and Mobile Apps for Weight Control: Mixed Methods Study

10.2196/11205 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. e11205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charoula Konstantia Nikolaou ◽  
Zoey Tay ◽  
Jodie Leu ◽  
Salome Antonette Rebello ◽  
Lisa Te Morenga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Young People ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Online Focus Groups

Background Effective prevention at a young enough age is critical to halt the obesity epidemic. Mobile health (mHealth) apps would potentially reach large numbers at low-cost. While there is already a profusion of lifestyle apps, they are mostly non-evidence-based and evidently ineffective against rising obesity prevalence. Objective The aim of this study was to explore preferences and usage of lifestyle apps among young people in 6 countries. Methods A mixed methods study was conducted among young people aged 13 to 24 years residing in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Singapore, and New Zealand. Participants were recruited from Web advertisements on Facebook, asking for volunteers interested in mobile apps in general, not specific to lifestyle or health, to complete a short survey comprising 18 questions on demographics, weight gain, and mobile app preferences and then to join English-language online focus groups, which were held during 2017, in password-protected Web rooms, moderated by an experienced researcher. Descriptive statistics were carried out for the survey, and thematic analysis was applied to transcripts. Results A total of 2285 young people (610 adolescents aged 13-17 years and 1675 young adults aged 18-24 years) responded and completed the survey, with 72.0% (1645) reported being concerned about weight gain for themselves or friends. Later, 807 young people (376 adolescents and 431 young adults) were selected based on age and country to participate in 12 online focus groups, with 719 young people completing. Analysis revealed 4 main themes: (1) feelings toward personal weight; (2) perception of lifestyle apps and desired content for weight gain prevention; (3) social media apps, lifestyle apps, and motivation for downloading and retaining; and (4) data safety and data usage and confidentiality. Young people are interested in evidence-based advice in programs incorporating their preferences. Conclusions Young people are commonly, and consistently across 6 countries, concerned about weight gain and obesity and would welcome evidence-based mHealth programs, provided the views of young people themselves are incorporated in the program content.

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