In-Depth Personal Interviews

jump over navigation bar[Description] [Pros] [Cons] [Common Uses] [Resources]

Description

A qualitative data collection method involving less rigid question structure and interviewing style than quantitative methods. Interviewers use a question guide to illicit responses from a participant, using open-ended questions. This method offers more detailed and rich findings on such issues as attitudes, beliefs and comprehension.

Pros

  • Can explore long or complex draft material
  • Can be effective with persons of lower literacy
  • Allows considerable opportunity to probe answers
  • Allows for intensive investigation of individual thought, opinions, and attitudes

Cons

  • Time consuming
  • Requires level of trust between interviewer and respondent, especially when dealing with sensitive or threatening material
  • Interviewer must be highly skilled in active listening, probing, and other interviewing skills
  • Interviewer must be knowledgeable about and sensitive to a respondent's culture or frame of reference

Common Uses

  • Develop concepts or messages
  • Test long or complex draft materials or test comprehension
  • Conduct a needs assessment
  • Gather input from gatekeepers and stakeholders

Resources

For guidance on how to plan focus groups, see Steps for Conducting Focus Groups and In-depth Interviews (PDF 178K).

See a question list for in-depth interviews held with CDC personnel about the CDC Director's Physical Activity Challenge: CDC_In-depth_Interview.pdf (PDF 48K)

See a guide for in-depth interviews with people involved in epilepsy communication efforts: Epilepsy_In-Depth_Interview.pdf (PDF 36K)

See a report on one-on-one interviews conducted to pretest materials for CDC’s diabetes and immunization campaign: DB_Materials_Pretest.pdf (PDF 217K)