Study design
Focus groups can explore the knowledge and
experiences of a small group in relation to a specific
topic. This approach allows the researcher to investigate
what people think, how they think and
why they hold certain attitudes [21]. Interviews
would not have facilitated participants to develop
their ideas through interactive group discussion
[22]. Questionnaires are an alternative effective
means of accessing people’s attitudes about a topic.
However, the absence of a well-developed psychometric
tool about oral health for this age group led
the researchers to consider a focus group approach
to develop a model of adolescents’ attitudes which
could later inform development of a questionnaire.