“You might save someone’s life”: rural Australian adolescents’ ideas on research participation, recruitment, and retainment
Dr Margot Rawsthorne, University of Sydney, Australia
Dr Spring Cooper, University of Sydney, Australia
Prof Kate Steinbeck, University of Sydney, Australia
Mrs Karen Paxton, University of Sydney, Australia
Dr Catherine Hawke, University of Sydney, Australia*
Dr Rachel Skinner, University of Sydney, Australia
Background: There are currently few longitudinal studies undertaken with adolescents in Australia and these rarely focus on sensitive topics such as puberty, body changes and sexuality. Young people are difficult to engage in research, particularly which focuses on sensitive issues such as sexuality (Bagnoli& Clark, 2010, pp. 109-110) or requires the collection of biological specimens such as blood (Broome& Richards, 2003, p. 194). For longitudinal research exploring the impact of social, psychological, physiological and biological change on health and wellbeing this reluctance is particularly pertinent. Learning from young people about the best way to respond to this reluctance is essential (Bagnoli & Clark, 2010).
Methods: We conducted focus groups with 10-15 year olds (mixed and single gender) in rural New South Wales. Two researchers performed content analysis; discrepancies were reviewed and resolved.
Results: Research with young people needs to be sensitive to age and gender differences in motivation. Parental engagement with the research will be important for younger participants but less so for older participants. Financial incentives are not the primary motivator for young people to participate in research. Motivators for engagement included young people’s sense of social responsibility and their peer network. Peer recruitment and having friends in the study were added incentives. A key result was that detailed explanations of the research purpose and methodology increased enthusiasm for participation.
Conclusion: Focus groups provide an ideal forum for engaging young people in longitudinal and other research. Effective recruitment of adolescents requires an appreciation of motivations, as well as time and resources to extend potential participants’ understanding.
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