Sheppard Lindsay C, Raby Rebecca
York University, Canada.
Brock University, Canada.
Qual Res. 2024 Jun;24(3):628-646. doi: 10.1177/14687941231176931. Epub 2023 May 29.
Side comments and conversations in focus groups can pose challenges for facilitators. Rather than seeing side comments as problematic behavior or "failed" data, we argue that they can add to and deepen analyses. Drawing on focus group data with grade nine students from a study on early work, in this methodological paper we discuss three patterns. First, side comments have highlighted where participants required clarification, and illustrated their views and questions about the research process. Second, side comments added new data to our analysis, including personal reflections, connections to others' comments, and information about participants' uncertainties about the research topics. Third, these comments offered insight into peer relations and dynamics, including participants' reflections on age, and how they deployed gender relations in their discussions. Provided that their use fits within established ethical protocols, we argue that there is a place for attention to side comments, especially in focus group research with young people where adult-teen hierarchies and peer dynamics might lead young people to engage more with peers than directly respond to researchers' questions.
焦点小组中的附带评论和对话可能给主持人带来挑战。我们认为，与其将附带评论视为有问题的行为或“失败”的数据，不如说它们可以丰富和深化分析。在这篇方法论论文中，我们借鉴了一项关于早期工作的研究中与九年级学生进行焦点小组讨论的数据，探讨三种模式。第一，附带评论突出了参与者需要澄清的地方，并阐明了他们对研究过程的看法和问题。第二，附带评论为我们的分析增添了新数据，包括个人反思、与他人评论的联系，以及参与者对研究主题不确定性的信息。第三，这些评论提供了对同伴关系和互动动态的洞察，包括参与者对年龄的反思，以及他们在讨论中如何运用性别关系。只要对附带评论的使用符合既定的伦理规范，我们认为关注附带评论是有必要的，特别是在与年轻人进行焦点小组研究时，成人与青少年之间的等级关系和同伴互动动态可能导致年轻人更多地与同伴交流，而不是直接回答研究人员的问题。
