Appendix 6

Interview Schedule Phase 2.

As the methodology selected for this project is grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss 1967 Strauss and Corbin 1990) a schedule of questions to be used in the interview is not prescribed as the questions will change over the duration of the project. This is in keeping with the evolving and developing theory. What has been devised therefore is a schedule which will be used for the initial interviews. This will give the Committee some focus for the questions; however it does need to be borne in mind that as an unstructured interview format is required for this type of project, and in keeping with the methodological approach, topic prompts are suggested in many areas as opposed to direct questions.

Stage and aim of the interview. / Question or topic prompts
Introductory explanation, reminding the volunteer of the remit of the interview. /
  • Researcher introduces herself and gives some details about the project. Checking for understanding from the participant.
  • Researcher outlines the details of the interview including length of interview and that it will be recorded, and notes taken during the interview, with the volunteer’s permission.
  • Rechecks consent verbally, and the volunteers rights of withdrawal at any point during the process.

Brief social / personal characteristics /
  • Will include the name, age, ethnicity and gender of the participant. An alias will be suggested / chosen at this point. The volunteer will use the census categories to select their ethnicity.
  • The researcher will also ask the volunteer what else they would like them to know about them at this point.

Composition of family /
  • Will include people that the participant lives with, position in family and gender and ages of siblings.
  • Current relationship with parents / significant carers and siblings from the participants view point will be sought. This will include who the volunteer is living with and who they see regularly from their family.

Location of home to school / youth club /
  • Type of house and area surrounding home will be ascertained from the participants view point.
  • Distance from home to school, and method of getting to and from home / school / youth club explored

How the participant spends their time in an average week. /
  • Will include questions around hobbies and activities undertaken outside of school day.
  • How much time spent with people their own age / alone/ family / friendship networks and others.

How did they go about taking the photographs /
  • Storage of the camera, times they chose to take pictures, how they found the experience of taking pictures to depict emotions.

Specific questions around the photographs /
  • Identify which emotions the pictures captured (grouping of emotions. Emotion group titles to be selected by the participant)
  • Notes will be made of the emotions underneath each photograph.

Participant to select x3 different photographs displaying different emotions. /
  • Exploration of this set of photographs (x3) in detail.
  • At this point prompt questions are indicated as opposed to specific questions.
  • Location, time of day, topic / activity, people involved, and relationship to the participant. Description of the photograph to be given by the participant.
  • Feelings evoked from the content of the photograph.
  • Identify other situations when these feelings are triggered by the volunteer, and also within their friendship group.
  • Find out ways in which different feelings can be changed or ways in which they may be altered. Therefore identifying any triggers to changing feelings / emotions. Are there any activities they undertake to change the way they are feeling.
  • Questions around how they know they are feeling happy / unhappy etc. Explore what their perceptions are of their friends feelings and emotions, how do they know when their friends are happy /unhappy.
  • Request the volunteer to give some indication as to how much of a day they spend feeling happy / unhappy / angry etc. Explore what their perceptions are of their friends and how much of he day they feel their friends are happy / and unhappy, with potential reasoning’s.
  • What might someone do to help them change the way they are feeling. Ascertain different strategies known to the volunteer about ways of coping with feelings.
  • Who do they discuss their feelings with? Who else may be helpful to discuss feelings with?
  • Is there anything else relating to feelings and emotions that they would like to tell me about.

Closing interview questions
How have they found taking part in the study? /
  • This is to ascertain if they have found the tasks a challenge and specifically what they have found challenging.

Do they have anything else that they would like to share with me? /
  • This may relate to a photograph that we haven’t discussed that they may wish to say something about.

Do they have any further questions? /
  • Final question before the end of the interview.

Thanking them for taking part in the project.

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