Mexican and African American Family Focus Groups on Puberty
Condition: Healthy
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      Primary Objective:

      For focus groups of Mexican American and African-American girls and focus groups of their
      parents to explore factors that could enhance the conduct of a future study of puberty and
      body mass.

      Specifically these focus groups will address:

        -  Whether clinical assessment of pubertal staging is acceptable.

        -  How to enhance cooperation by parents and their daughters of different socioeconomic
           groups, among families with different levels of acculturation, and girls of different
           body mass indices.

        -  Explore whether established questionnaire items about puberty, that have been used in
           traditional surveys, require culture-specific changes to improve exposure assessment.

        -  Explore the acceptability of self-reported pictograms for body image and for
           developmental assessment by girls.
    

Detailed description: 
      For Parents:

      This study will involve 5 focus groups. Mothers will take part in 1 of 2 focus groups with
      other mothers. Fathers will take part in a focus group with other fathers. Girls will take
      part in 1 of 2 focus groups with other girls. Any eligible parent will be able to participate
      even if the daughter chooses not to participate in the focus group activities. At the start
      of each focus group, the moderators will begin with a general session about health related
      topics, but for the girls, any discussion about pubertal development will take place in two
      separate groups, with the 6-9 yr olds in one group and 10-12 yr olds in another group. Each
      group will have about 8 to 10 participants who are all comfortable speaking the same
      language.

      The focus groups will be led by a moderator, a person who will lead the talk and answer any
      questions participants may have. The moderator will speak both English and Spanish, and you
      will be assigned to the group where your preferred language is spoken. The discussions will
      involve talk about puberty and body image, such as the typical age for a girl to start
      puberty, body changes girls go through in puberty, and girls' level of comfort with how their
      body looks. Parents of the girls will also be asked to compare their experiences during
      puberty with their daughters' experiences.

      Researchers want to know if you would be comfortable with your daughter taking part in a
      clinical research study that is planned for the future. Information about this future study
      will also be presented to each group for discussion. The focus group talks will last about 1
      1/2 hours. They will be conducted in the community where you live. You will be told the
      location before you agree to take part in this study.

      All of the discussions will be audio taped and will be kept confidential. The tapes will not
      be heard by anyone other than the research staff. They will be kept safe in a locked cabinet
      that stores other confidential research materials, and will be destroyed at the end of this
      study.

      Your participation in this study will be over after your focus group discussion has ended.

      This is an investigational study. Up to 50 parents will take part in this study. All will be
      enrolled at M. D. Anderson.

      For Children:

      This study will have 5 focus groups per ethnic groups. Mothers will be in 1 of 2 focus groups
      with other mothers. Fathers will be in a focus group with other fathers. The moderator will
      speak both English and Spanish, and you will be assigned to the group where your preferred
      language is spoken. Girls will be in 1 of 2 focus groups with other girls. At the start of
      each focus group, the moderators will begin with a general session about health related
      topics, but for the girls, any discussion about pubertal development will take place in two
      separate groups, with the 6-9 yr olds in one group and 10-12 yr olds in another group. Each
      group will have about 8 to 10 participants who are all comfortable speaking the same
      language.

      The focus groups will be led by a moderator, a person who will lead the talk and answer any
      questions participants may have. The discussions will involve talk about your thoughts on
      growth and development and body image, such as the age you started developing, how your body
      changes, and your level of comfort with how your body looks. Your parent(s) will also be
      asked to compare their experiences during puberty with your experience. You will also be
      asked about your level of comfort with a visit to the doctor and with having your blood drawn
      and needle sticks.

      Researchers also want to know if you would be comfortable taking part in a clinical research
      study that is planned for the future. Information about this future study will also be
      presented to each group for discussion. The focus group talks will last about 1 1/2 hours.

      All of the discussions will be audio taped and will be kept confidential. The tapes will not
      be heard by anyone other than the research staff. They will be kept safe in a locked cabinet
      that stores other confidential research materials, and will be destroyed at the end of this
      study.

      Your participation in this study will be over after your focus group discussion has ended.

      This is an investigational study. You will be given the art projects that you created during
      your focus group for your time and participation. Up to 50 girls will take part in this
      study. All will be enrolled at M. D. Anderson.
    

Intervention name(s): Focus Group
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Focus group discussion about puberty and body image lasting 1 1/2 hours.
Observational model: Case-Control
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Participants are females aged 6-12 years old that are of Mexican American or African
        American descent and their parents.
      
Keywords: Epidemiology; Puberty; Body Weight; Body Image; Focus Group