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What do children and young people think about taking part in surveys?

What do children and young people think about taking part in surveys?. Rachel Ormston 3 July 2008. Today’s seminar. Rationale for the study Broad methodology Some findings Concluding thoughts. Study aims. Perspectives of children on taking part in survey research ‘Ethical’ issues

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What do children and young people think about taking part in surveys?

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  1. What do children and young people think about taking part in surveys? Rachel Ormston 3 July 2008

  2. Today’s seminar • Rationale for the study • Broad methodology • Some findings • Concluding thoughts...

  3. Study aims • Perspectives of children on taking part in survey research • ‘Ethical’ issues • Addressing two key gaps • Survey research • Children’s perspectives

  4. Study design • 8 focus groups in 4 London schools • Ages 7/8, 9/10, 12/13, 14/15 • 6 or 8 participants; boys and girls together • 1 or 1.5 hours on school premises • Use of video stimuli to explore key issues

  5. What we discussed with the children • Decisions about taking part in surveys • Who should have a say? • How can we ensure ‘informed’ consent? • Incomplete information • Ending interviews early, refusing questions, withdrawing data • Privacy and presence of others • Confidentiality & disclosure

  6. Decisions about taking part: key questions • Who should have a say in whether youtake part? Or, what’s the role of parents? • What would influence your decision to say yes or no? • What information do you need in order to decide? Or, what constitutes ‘informed’ consent?

  7. Who should have a say - and why? • Factors influencing children’s views include … • Children’s rights as subjects • Parents’ rights of control • Parental protection from (perceived) risks • Age of the child • Where the interview is held • Interview topic • Should parents or children be approached first?

  8. What would influence your decision to say yes or no? • Factors influencing children’s views included … • Salience of the interview topic • Value of research • Beliefs about confidentiality • Feeling comfortable about the interviewer • Do you have to take part? • Confidence and ‘feeling special’

  9. What information do you need to decide? • Background about the survey • Practical arrangements • What will happen to my answers? • Role of verbal versus written information

  10. Incomplete information: key questions • Why might you want to finish an interview early? • Would you feel able to finish it early if you wanted to? • Would you feel able to refuse particular questions? • Why might you want to withdraw your answers later on? • Would you feel able to do so?

  11. Why might you want to finish an interview early? • Interviewer: behaviour, characteristics • Interview: long, boring • Questions: ‘private’, irrelevant, hard

  12. Would you feel able to finish early if you wanted to? • Barriers to ending focused around... • Expression: shyness / embarrassment / concern to be polite • Interviewer reaction • Guilt • So, would they feel able to finish early?

  13. Would you feel able to refuse a particular question? • Reasons for refusal focused around... • questions being too personal • not knowing the answer • not understanding the question • Spectrum of views on feasibility - easy and straightforward to too difficult

  14. Withdrawing answers later on • Reasons for wanting to withdraw answers focused around - • Correction • Confidentiality • Regret • Should withdrawal being allowed? • Would you feel able to ask to do this?

  15. Privacy: key questions • Is it acceptable - or desirable - for someone else to be present during the interview? • What are the reasons for wanting privacy?

  16. Privacy and the presence of others • Reasons for having others present • Comfort • Assistance and correction • Safety • Reasons for doing interview in private • Confidentiality • Embarrassment • Distraction or irritation • Sensitive or personal topics

  17. Confidentiality: key questions • Is it ever acceptable to pass on someone’s answers? • How do you decide when it’s acceptable or not?

  18. Confidentiality • ‘Wide’ vs. ‘narrow’ views if justified to breach... • Wide – stealing, problems with schoolwork, any bullying • Narrow – should not disclose self-harm or parental abuse • Key considerations • What was promised? • Has child agreed to disclosure? • An ‘important’ issue? • Potential outcomes? • Alternatives to telling?

  19. Concluding thoughts • Sensitive or personal topics • Right or wrong answers • Role of the survey interviewer • Information about their characteristics • Offering advice • Explanation and clarification

  20. Full report on NatCen website • ‘Children’s perspectives on participating in survey research’ (2007) by Alice Reeves, Caroline Bryson, Rachel Ormston and Clarissa White, NatCen: London (ISBN: 978-1-904599-79-1) • www.natcen.ac.uk/pages/publications/ • children_perspectives_on_participating.pdf • r.ormston@scotcen.org.uk, Tel 0131 221 2567

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