Immigration Status

Certificates of Confidentiality DO NOT protect this information.

We’ve used a don’t ask/don’t tell policy and never document it in our records even if a family offers this information.

This issue impacts recruitment because participants are often living in fear of deportation.

Research Staff

Language fluency is very important.  Native speakers catch nuances, college-learners get the general idea (most of the time).

Bicultural staff members are always preferable but may be hard to find.

When there are significant cultural differences between interviewers and participants, participants may change their responses.

After language competency, the interviewer’s skills are always the most important ingredient in putting the participant at ease and in getting accurate information.

Interview Format

Many participants may be illiterate.  We read the consent forms and interviews as standard practice. Signing consent forms and receipts may be awkward for some participants.

Participants may not understand gradation in Likert scales or they may have a response set to answer positively, especially if they see the interviewer as an authority figure.  

Privacy can be a concern when conducting interviews in crowded trailers.

Scale items may not have an easy translation.  The essence needs to be captured.

Ethical Obligations

If sensitive information is sought, there must be a protocol for what the interviewer does when it is uncovered (e.g., crisis evaluation & referral).

Our interviewers have performed limited case management as a service to participating families.  Providing information and referral helps retain families in the longitudinal study.