Using Facebook Secret Groups for Qualitative Data Collection

• In Event: 2266 - Family Section Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 15. Innovative Qualitative Methods in Studying Families

Abstract

The popularity of Facebook (FB) has led researchers to seek ways of using the social media platform in their empirical research. One approach is to use FB’s secret groups tool to conduct asynchronous online focus groups. How can researchers use FB secret groups to conduct asynchronous online focus groups? What steps are required to execute this kind of research successfully? How can the researcher avoid the method's weaknesses and maximize its strengths? What kinds of participation rates are possible, and how do they compare with those of similar methods? To answer these questions, I used FB’s secret groups function to conduct three asynchronous online focus groups. I recruited caregivers of children with sensory processing disorder or “sensory issues” who took part by writing about their experiences online. Using Facebook secret groups meets participants in a setting they are familiar with and reduces the barriers to participating in a research study. The researcher, however, gives up some control over the research setting. This report fills a gap in the literature with a description of the logistics of using Facebook for online focus groups; this description is designed to help future researchers use this method in their studies of harder-to-reach populations.

Author

• Stephanie Medley-Rath, Indiana University-Kokomo