- Email: [email protected]
Focus Group Interviews in Education and Psychology
645
consequences. This work is drawn from earlier research, some of which has been conducted by several of the authors. The only discordant note is in the section concerningways to help pain and things which may make pain worse. Some of this section has the flavour of ‘traditional’ back school type management and in attempting to offer guidance almost, but not quite, falls into the trap of representing the spine a s a vulnerable structure. Despite this minor detail, The
Back Book is a remarkable summary of the bio-psychosocial model of low back pain and captures the essence of contemporary thinking about the symptom. I t manages to do this in a way which most patients should find friendly without being a t all condescending.
Focus Group interviews in Education and Psychology
generated by focus groups; whereas these data may provide a n illuminating and dynamic picture of the views, attitudes and interaction of a group of participants, their ability t o examine in depth complex issues and elucidate the perceptions of individual respondents is more limited. Chapters 4 to 8 examine practical and methodological aspects of the focus group. There is a wealth of useful detail here, amply supported and illustrated by reference to the literature. The authors present their own approach to the analysis of focus group data in chapter 7, and this provides a helpful model for those undertaking this process for the first time. Chapter 8, entitled ‘Putting it all together’, contains a helpful overview of the stages in setting up and running focus groups, and draws together much of the material presented in the preceding four chapters. Chapter 9 considers the use of focus groups with children and
adolescents, and the final chapter discusses potential abuses of a focus group, outlining some of the research questions for which this approach would not be a n appropriate choice. The text is written in readable style, and each chapter contains a list of key ideas and a selection of activities related to the content of the chapter. The text is also interspersed with boxes headed ‘Summing up’ and ‘Did you know that?’ I expected to be rather irritated by these, but in the event found them helpful and interesting, for the most part. The strengths of this text lie in its coverage of the practical and operational aspects of conducting focus groups; it deals with the deeper methodological and theoretical issues rather less thoroughly than some other sources. It is a valuable book which I would strongly recommend to any physiotherapist intending to use this method of research. Julius Sim PhD MSc MCSP
to those totally alienated from exercise, who need more than a written text to stir them into activity. With its cartoon character drawings and simple layout it is intended to avert the dangers of stroke. Sharp-eyed readers may be warned
by the initial caveat in very small type t h a t the Stroke Association cannot be held responsible for any health problem suffered in undertaking the eight-week challenge but there are drawbacks to every kind of pleasure.
by Sharon Vaughn, Jeanne Shay Schumm and Jane Sinagub. Sage Publications, London, 1996 (ISBN 0 8039 5893 5). 172 pages. f 13.95.
This book is a recent addition to the growing body of literature on focus groups. As its title indicates, the text principally addresses the use of this type of interview within the fields of education and psychology. However, the general issues addressed are relevant t o health care research. The book comprises ten chapters. The first of these provides an introduction to focus groups and a historical overview of their use. The following two chapters explore reasons for choosing focus groups as a method of data collection, and their application in the fields of education and psychology. The advantages of focus groups are presented in a balanced, nonevangelical way. However, I felt there was rather too little discussion of the quality of the data
The Reluctant Exerciser’s Guide published by The Stroke Association, CHSA House, Whitecross Street, London EC1 Y 8JJ, 1996.20 pages. Free.
Designed for couch potatoes, this booklet shows how to incorporate regular activity into daily life and build up stamina and strength and enjoy it. I t incorporates a n eight-week fitness challenge, record chart, and sponsorship form. The programme builds up to half a n hour of physical activity, five days a week. The booklet is more likely to appeal to people who already feel guilty than
In terms of its value to physiotherapists, in addition t o being a useful supplement to intervention it offers much by way of education, especially as its contents are based upon a significant body of research. Given its price, it probably has more
to offer than many texts on back pain costing hundreds of pounds. It is now appropriate for the effectiveness of The Back Book a s a clinical tool to be evaluated and we expect that its authors will undertake this. However, it is already appropriate for the book to be made widely available to patients with back pain and studied by those for whom preventing unnecessary disability is important.
Michael J Rose PhD MCSP
Gillian M Beattie MBA MCSP
JW
Physiotherapy, November 1996, vol82, no 11
consequences. This work is drawn from earlier research, some of which has been conducted by several of the authors. The only discordant note is in the section concerningways to help pain and things which may make pain worse. Some of this section has the flavour of ‘traditional’ back school type management and in attempting to offer guidance almost, but not quite, falls into the trap of representing the spine a s a vulnerable structure. Despite this minor detail, The
Back Book is a remarkable summary of the bio-psychosocial model of low back pain and captures the essence of contemporary thinking about the symptom. I t manages to do this in a way which most patients should find friendly without being a t all condescending.
Focus Group interviews in Education and Psychology
generated by focus groups; whereas these data may provide a n illuminating and dynamic picture of the views, attitudes and interaction of a group of participants, their ability t o examine in depth complex issues and elucidate the perceptions of individual respondents is more limited. Chapters 4 to 8 examine practical and methodological aspects of the focus group. There is a wealth of useful detail here, amply supported and illustrated by reference to the literature. The authors present their own approach to the analysis of focus group data in chapter 7, and this provides a helpful model for those undertaking this process for the first time. Chapter 8, entitled ‘Putting it all together’, contains a helpful overview of the stages in setting up and running focus groups, and draws together much of the material presented in the preceding four chapters. Chapter 9 considers the use of focus groups with children and
adolescents, and the final chapter discusses potential abuses of a focus group, outlining some of the research questions for which this approach would not be a n appropriate choice. The text is written in readable style, and each chapter contains a list of key ideas and a selection of activities related to the content of the chapter. The text is also interspersed with boxes headed ‘Summing up’ and ‘Did you know that?’ I expected to be rather irritated by these, but in the event found them helpful and interesting, for the most part. The strengths of this text lie in its coverage of the practical and operational aspects of conducting focus groups; it deals with the deeper methodological and theoretical issues rather less thoroughly than some other sources. It is a valuable book which I would strongly recommend to any physiotherapist intending to use this method of research. Julius Sim PhD MSc MCSP
to those totally alienated from exercise, who need more than a written text to stir them into activity. With its cartoon character drawings and simple layout it is intended to avert the dangers of stroke. Sharp-eyed readers may be warned
by the initial caveat in very small type t h a t the Stroke Association cannot be held responsible for any health problem suffered in undertaking the eight-week challenge but there are drawbacks to every kind of pleasure.
by Sharon Vaughn, Jeanne Shay Schumm and Jane Sinagub. Sage Publications, London, 1996 (ISBN 0 8039 5893 5). 172 pages. f 13.95.
This book is a recent addition to the growing body of literature on focus groups. As its title indicates, the text principally addresses the use of this type of interview within the fields of education and psychology. However, the general issues addressed are relevant t o health care research. The book comprises ten chapters. The first of these provides an introduction to focus groups and a historical overview of their use. The following two chapters explore reasons for choosing focus groups as a method of data collection, and their application in the fields of education and psychology. The advantages of focus groups are presented in a balanced, nonevangelical way. However, I felt there was rather too little discussion of the quality of the data
The Reluctant Exerciser’s Guide published by The Stroke Association, CHSA House, Whitecross Street, London EC1 Y 8JJ, 1996.20 pages. Free.
Designed for couch potatoes, this booklet shows how to incorporate regular activity into daily life and build up stamina and strength and enjoy it. I t incorporates a n eight-week fitness challenge, record chart, and sponsorship form. The programme builds up to half a n hour of physical activity, five days a week. The booklet is more likely to appeal to people who already feel guilty than
In terms of its value to physiotherapists, in addition t o being a useful supplement to intervention it offers much by way of education, especially as its contents are based upon a significant body of research. Given its price, it probably has more
to offer than many texts on back pain costing hundreds of pounds. It is now appropriate for the effectiveness of The Back Book a s a clinical tool to be evaluated and we expect that its authors will undertake this. However, it is already appropriate for the book to be made widely available to patients with back pain and studied by those for whom preventing unnecessary disability is important.
Michael J Rose PhD MCSP
Gillian M Beattie MBA MCSP
JW
Physiotherapy, November 1996, vol82, no 11