A revision of a maternal interview questionnaire used in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder prevention programmes in South Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was done in collaboration with the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR), anon-governmental organization whose primary objective is to develop and maintain Fetal AlcoholSpectrum Disorder (FASD) prevention programmes across South Africa. Research has shown theoccurrence of FASD in South Africa to be much higher than in other parts of the world.As part of their prevention programmes, FARR uses a three part diagnostic process, including amaternal interview, a dysmorphological examination, as well as a general developmentalassessment. The maternal interview questionnaire that FARR currently uses takes an average of twohours per interviewee to complete. Even though a recent study indicates that FASD preventionprogrammes administered by FARR can potentially reduce FASD prevalence, shorter maternalinterviews could improve the use of FARR resources and the ability of FASD research studies togather meaningful information and inform future prevention efforts.The main purpose of this study was to adjust the maternal interview questionnaire used by FARR inorder to make interviews with mothers shorter while delivering the information needed forsuccessful FASD prevention programmes.Data related to the adequacy of the adjusted maternal interview questionnaire was collected andanalysed according to an action research approach in four consecutive phases. The researchprocedures consisted of two separate focus group interviews with five key role players from FARR.During the first focus group interview the main problems with the questionnaire was identified asbeing (i) the length of the questionnaire, (ii) the unsuitability of the questionnaire to interviewsomeone other than the biological mother, and (iii) inconsistency between interviewers when usingthe questionnaire. During the second phase of the study the questionnaire was adjusted and revisedas part of a second focus group interview. The interviewers, data capturer and data analyst whoused the adjusted questionnaire as part of a larger FASD prevention programme made severalsuggestions on how the questionnaire could be further adjusted to suit the needs of FARR. Thesesuggestions were addressed during the final phase of the study, after which the adjustedquestionnaire was finalized.Findings from the study suggest that identified problems with FARR's original maternal interviewquestionnaire were successfully addressed by the adjusted questionnaire, while simultaneouslysatisfying the objectives of a maternal interview as identified by participants during the first focusgroup interview. Results confirmed that more maternal interviews could be conducted in the sametime period using the adjusted interview questionnaire compared to when the original questionnairewas used, due to the fact that the questionnaire was shorter and took less time to administer. Aspart of this study an additional questionnaire was developed specifically for caregiver interviews.According to FARR role players, inconsistency between interviewers was for the most pastsuccessfully addressed by the development of this additional questionnaire and the development ofan interviewer guideline. Recommendations for future research include the further developmentand evaluation of the caregiver questionnaire and interviewer guideline.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University