Practitioner focus groups

Written informed consent was given by all practitioners by completing the form sent via email or post, prior to the focus group. Participants were contacted by telephone or email to discuss the practicalities of taking part. This contact was followed up with a written letter outlining the focus group details including date, time and venue of group meeting and how to claim for travel expenses. The participants were asked to document their thoughts using the schema below (questions 1 to 9) based on open ended questions prior to the meeting so that they

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could be used as prompts for discussion and debate during the session. It was requested that these documents be handed in at the end of the session for cross referencing with the transcripts and researcher’s notes. A research assistant supported the smooth running of the focus groups.

A copy of the proposed working conceptual framework (see Figure 7, pg. 125) and an explanation about its development were provided to participants and the following questions were posed to the participants prior to meeting as a group:

1) What do you think about the four domains under evaluation? Domains include physical functioning, mental wellbeing, social wellbeing and spirituality.

2) How useful are the definitions in aiding your understanding of the domains? 3) What do you think about the components that make up the sub domains? 4) What do you like about the conceptual framework?

5) What don’t you like about the conceptual framework?

6) In what way do you feel the working conceptual framework could be improved?

7) Based on your thoughts so far, how can the conceptual framework best be depicted?

8) Have we missed anything?

9) Make a note of anything else you may wish to raise at the focus group discussion in relation to the topic at hand.

4.8.1 Researcher’s checklist

A checklist was made (Krueger & Casey, 1994) and consideration given to the following details prior to the focus group meeting: logistics, making sure the room was satisfactory, that background noise was minimal for recording purposes, name cards were prepared for participants, extra batteries, pens, copies of handouts, the list of questions for prompts, refreshments for lunch. Prior to each session, NB met with the research assistant to discuss topics of small-talk conversation that would

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be appropriate as participants were arriving, ensuring that exchanges were kept ‘off topic’ until everyone had arrived and introductions had been made.

4.8.2 Facilitation of the focus groups

Ensuring ethical guidelines were adhered to (Rubin & Rubin, 1995), on meeting and prior to the start of the focus groups all consent forms were referred to and

signatures checked and copies supplied. Participants were reminded that the discussion would be recorded and notes would be taken, that they could refuse to answer any question at any time and that they could withdraw from the process at any point without any explanation. The principal researcher (NB) informed the group that her role was to glean information from the group rather than to provide “correct information” (Nassar-McMillan & Borders, 2002) and to ensure the group remained on task and within the time allowed. The research assistant was

introduced and the participants were told that her role was to ensure the discussion was recorded and to document important points for summarising towards the end of the session.

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4.8.3 Schedule for focus groups:

Schedule 1: Practitioner focus groups

Section Moderators/Participants Moderator: NB Research Assistant: SM Time allocation Introductions Thanks for coming

Health & Safety, house rules. Lunch - to be eaten as we go

Recording - ground rules, speak clearly, like to hear from everyone; aim of session.

Any practical questions.

Moderators

Tent cards on seats with names

5 minutes

Opening questions

Tell us your name, where you practise and what you most enjoy when you are not practising CST. (starting with ...and working clockwise).

Are there any words of phrases you do not understand in the documents you were sent?

All - SM to make a diagram of who is sitting where?

10 minutes General questions

1. What do you think about the four domains under evaluation?

2. How useful are the definitions in aiding your understanding of the domains?

3. What do you think about the components that make up the sub domains?

SM to make notes of main points

30 minutes

Key Questions

4. what do you like about the conceptual framework? 5. what don't you like about the conceptual

framework?

6. In what ways could it be improved?

SM to make notes of main points

50 minutes Response Shift

1) Recalibration of respondent’s internal standards of measurement.

2) reprioritisation of respondents' values. 3) reconceptualization of the target construct.

Explore does this process sound familiar

15 minutes

Summary

Have we missed anything? Any questions?

SM to write summary on flip charts.

10 minutes Closure, Thanks, End.

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4.8.4 Debriefing notes

Debriefing notes were made after each session and observations and thoughts from both the principal researcher and research assistant were documented using the questions below to capture the important aspects of the discussion.

1) What were the themes?

2) What are the most important points learnt from this group? 3) What was surprising or unexpected?

4) What quotes were particularly helpful?

5) Does anything need to change before the next group?

Focus group sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and participant names were codified to ensure anonymity.

4.8.5 CST users’ focus groups - evaluating a working conceptual framework of CST outcomes

The process and documentation described on pg. 104 was also followed with CST users. Adjustments were made to the location and venue of this group to access ‘local’ users of CST. Refinements were made to the conceptual framework handout based on the findings of the focus groups undertaken with CST practitioners. These changes are reported in the results section of this thesis, see Table 16, (pg.133).