Small is not too Small: Reflections Concerning the Validity of Very Small Focus Groups (VSFGs)

This article discusses issues of validity in focus group methodology when very few people actually participate in the research. The defense of small size emerges from experiences in dissertation research with women who have abused illegal substances and self-identify as addicts. Validity is addresse...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Qualitative social work : QSW : research and practice 2009-06, Vol.8 (2), p.179-192
Main Author: Toner, Jean
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Drug Addiction
Females
Feminist Theory
Group Research
Marginality
Methodological Problems
Research Design
Small Groups
Social Work Research
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Summary:This article discusses issues of validity in focus group methodology when very few people actually participate in the research. The defense of small size emerges from experiences in dissertation research with women who have abused illegal substances and self-identify as addicts. Validity is addressed through application of standard measures of validity to the Very Small Focus Groups (VSFGs). In addition, the VSFGs are analyzed according to characteristics of group development, demonstrating that even with small size, typical group development stages occur. Attention is paid to feminist research principles, demonstrating that those principles are expressed regardless of small group size. Implications for social work research and practice in partnership with marginalized people are discussed.
ISSN:1473-3250
1741-3117
DOI:10.1177/1473325009103374