Focus groups discussions

4.5.3.1 General description of the research tool

The focus group interview method has been gaining more popularity among academic researchers in the health and social sciences (Freitas et al 1998). The use of this method in the fieldwork component of postgraduated dissertations and theses in the field of social sciences is also a growing trend. Many of these researchers have been developing the method and steering it to suit their research needs. The more recent popularity of focus groups in qualitative research in the health and social sciences is reflected in an increased number of papers and books in which it is used. Parker and Tritter (2006) stipulate that the reason that focus group discussions have become popular in recent years is partly because they are seen as the method that can provide quick results. It is also perceived as a method that can generate complex information at low cost and with the minimum amount of time. It is used with a wide range of people and groups in different settings. Focus groups are collective in nature, and this may suit people who cannot articulate their thoughts easily and provide collective power to marginalised people. It is for this reason that focus group articles are dedicated to different social and cultural groups.

In terms of methodology, Wilkinson (2004) stipulates that a certain number of people, ranging from 8 to 20, that come from a similar social and cultural background with similar experiences and concerns can be involved in focus groups. The aim is not to reach consensus on the discussed issues, but rather to encourage a range of responses that involve a greater understanding of the attitudes, behaviour, opinions or perceptions of the participants with regard to the research issues. The participants need to feel comfortable in discussing their experiences and opinions, and hence the need for a non-threatening environment within the group.

Morgan (2002) advises that, during focus group discussions, the participants should never get the sense that they will be ridiculed or judged by others in the group. The manner in which participants relate to each other during the discussions is important.

For example, being able to express themselves freely in the presence of the other participants, or being able to acknowledge other participants’views. These interactions among the participants are treated as research data. The participants are chosen because they are able to provide valuable contributions to the research questions. The interaction among the participants themselves puts greater emphasis on the points made by the participants than those of the researcher. This allows for group dynamics and helps the researcher capture shared life experiences; accessing elements that other methods may not be able to and often remain hidden in the more conventional in-depth interview method. Different factors, social or political for example, can cause the participants to respond in a particular manner to the questions asked.

4.5.3.2 Blaauwbosch case study

The rationale for having used focus group interviews in this research study is that it would be useful in exploring and examining what people think, how they think, and why they think the way they do about road safety issues. This is the ideal approach for examining the stories, experiences, beliefs, points of view, needs and concerns of individuals. It is believed that the focus groups reveal more diverse understandings, which are often difficult to access by more orthodox methods of data collection. It also allows the researcher to explore diverse perspectives of individuals, since focus groups function within the social network of groups.

In this research study, the focus group discussions consisted of reasonable homogeneous members that ranged from 15 to 20 members. Three focus group meetings were conducted, these were: the Community Road Safety Council (CRSC);

school educators from those schools located along the main roads in the study area;

and frequent local road users. Different dates and venues were set up for each of these focus group meetings, after confirmation of attendance in response to the invitations that were sent out to each of the members of the groups.

In this research study the focus group discussions on road safety included the following aspects:

 To identify road safety issues of importance.

 To explore new areas of interest.

 To provoke community thoughts on engineering, enforcement and educational measures, as well as road safety interventions.

 To resolve project constraints and come up with solutions or reasons why the project is failing.

 To evaluate the project’s usefulness, how can it be improved and subsequent programmes.

4.5.3.2 Preparations for the focus group discussions i) Community Road Safety Council

This group consisted of community members from different sectors as outlined in their list in Annexure E1. They were working closely with the KZN-DoT’s Road Safety Directorate on the implementation and promotion of road safety activities and initiatives. They met once every month in the offices of the Department to discuss and report on road safety issues in their locality, which includes the study area of Blaauwbosch.

ii) School educators

The roads P296 and P483 are surrounded by many primary, combined and secondary schools, as depicted in the map of Blaauwbosch (Annexure A). There was great cause for concern for road safety issues along these roads. The list of participants is attached in this research study as Annexure F.

iii) Frequent local road users

This was the third focus group for the research study. It was the most difficult group to constitute. The list of these group members is attached as Annexure G. The difficulty in constituting the group emanated from the fact that they were not an organised group of people that was easy to locate. Their homogeneity was only based on the fact that they used the same road frequently, and would probably experience the same road safety issues. More effort and energy had to be applied in order to constitute this focus group.

Flyers and posters were printed that contained all the information necessary for prospective participants. These were then distributed to all the possible places where

the frequent local road users could be found, namely: meeting places, shops, roads intersections, churches, the local library, and to all the people that passed by.

Annexure G1, shows an example of the flyer that was distributed. Six weeks were set aside for this process, and it was believed that this would be enough time for those interested to respond to the invitations by using the contact information printed on the flyers and posters. At first, there was a very slow response to the invitations, until the help of the local ward councillor was sought. The ward councillor assisted with the distribution of the flyers at the ward meetings and the explanantion of the research study’s objectives.

4.5.3.3 During the focus group discussions i) Community Road Safety Council

All 20 members of the CRSC attended the focus group discussion. The researcher was the chairperson for the meeting. Basic ground rules were explained to the members as shown in Annexure H, in order to put the members at ease. Before the discussions started, all the members were given consent forms to sign, and the objectives of the research study were fully explained to them. The discussions were carried out in their home language (isiZulu), and were then transcribed in English. The interviewer had a set of questions prepared before the discussions, as shown in Annexure C. The participants were, however, allowed to discuss any other relevant issues at the end of the session.

ii) School educators

Of the 25 school educators that were recruited, 18 educators managed to attend the focus group discussion. The same procedure of conducting discussions that had been adopted for the CRSC focus group was used for this group as well. There was also a set of questions that had been prepared beforehand to lead the discussions, shown as Annexure C. The responses and discussions will be discussed in Chapter

5.

iii) Frequent local road users

The third focus group discussion took place after 8 weeks of organising and making arrangements. The participants signed the consent forms after the research objectives and relevant clauses were explained to them. The attendance was very good. Out of the 26 people that confirmed that they will attend the meeting, 19

participants attended. Those that had confirmed their attendance but did not make it, sent apologies for not attending the meeting. The discussions were carried out in their home language (isiZulu), and then transcribed in English.

4.5.3.4 After the focus group discussions

The focus group meetings were valid, as the researcher made sure to possess the following attributes:

 The ability to listen attentively with sensitivity and empathy.

 The ability to listen and think at the same time.

 The belief that the group participants had something to offer, no matter what their education, experience or background was.

 Adequate knowledge of the topic

 The capability to keep personal views and ego out of the facilitation session.

 The capability relate to the group well and manage challenging group dynamics.

The focus group moderator (researcher/facilitator) fulfilled the responsibility of adequately covering all the prepared questions within the time allocated. Long and ambiguous comments were paraphrased and summarised to demonstrate active listening and further clarify the comments to the group.