Individual interviews or focus groups? Interview format and women’s self-disclosure

ABSTRACT

Individual interviews have traditionally been an important method of data collection in multiple disciplines, including psychology. However, research comparing individual interviews with focus groups has generated mixed results regarding which method is more effective in investigating sensitive topics. The purpose of the present study was to directly compare the two methods with respect to young women’s verbalizations on a sensitive topic, namely their thoughts and feelings related to body image. Female undergraduate students were randomly assigned to an individual interview (n = 32) or focus group (n = 33). Participants in the individual interviews disclosed more personal thoughts and feelings about body image and had more positive perceptions of the interpersonal climate of their sessions than participants in the focus groups. These findings suggest that individual interviews may provide women with a more supportive environment in which to discuss sensitive topics.

KEYWORDS:

• Focus group
• individual interview
• qualitative research
• psychology of women
• personal disclosure

Acknowledgments

We thank Kayla Yates, Danielle Collinson, Chloe Richard, Mika White, Kristine Zhang, Alexa Ciencin, and Maya Wong for their assistance in this research project

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Louis J. Kruger

Louis J. Kruger, PsyD., NCSP, is an associate professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at Northeastern University. He has published and presented more than 50 papers, and has edited 3 books. He has been on the editorial boards of scholarly journals in education and school psychology for more than 30 years, and served as associate editor for two journals. He has been a consultant in the use of focus groups in the planning and evaluation of programs. His current research interests include risk and resilience in students and social justice in educational policy. Dr. Kruger received his doctorate in school psychology from Rutgers University, which awarded him with the Peterson Prize for his contributions to professional psychology. He is a former director of the school psychology programs at Tufts University and Northeastern University. His documentary film, Children Left Behind, has been screened at multiple venues, including the annual conventions of the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists.

Rachel F. Rodgers

Rachel F. Rodgers, PhD, FAED, is an associate professor of Applied Psychology at Northeastern University, and Director of the Applied Psychology Program for Appearance and Eating Research (APPEAR). Dr. Rodgers received her PhD from the University of Toulouse. Her research with APPEAR focuses on body image, disordered eating and other appearance-changing behaviors. Grounded in sociocultural models, this work aims to develop models of the effects of sociocultural determinants on these behaviors, with a view to prevention of eating disorders and associated concerns both at the individual level but also through public policy. She is a collaborating mentor with the STRIPED program, and a member of the Advisory Board of Model Alliance. In addition, she was recently awarded the status of Fellow of the Academy of Eating Disorders.

Stephanie J. Long

Stephanie J. Long, MS, is a student in the School Psychology Doctoral Program at Northeastern University. She received her MS in Applied Psychology from Northeastern University and BS in Psychology and BA in Spanish from Syracuse University. Her research interests include interventions with young children, especially with English Language Learners, as well as developing feasible interventions that facilitate data-based decision-making.

Alice S. Lowy

Alice S. Lowy, M.A., is a doctoral student in counseling psychology at Northeastern University. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Spanish Literature from Kenyon College and her M.A. in Psychology from Boston University. Her previous clinical experience sparked an interest in examining treatment accessibility and outcome for underserved populations, particularly among children and adolescents. Her primary research interests are in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders for understudied populations, with a focus on sociocultural factors that may protect young women from body dissatisfaction, as well as the internalization of distinct cultural beauty ideals among women of color.