Advantages of asynchronous online focus groups and face-to-face focus groups as perceived by child, adolescent and adult participants: a survey study

Table 3 Advantages of OFGs according to child, adolescent and adult respondents (N = 217), in percentages

	Child N = 26	Adolescent N = 42	Adult N = 123	Total N = 217	p
I am able to participate at a moment most convenient to me	30.8	90.5	95.9	86.2	0.00*
I can react from my own home and do not have to travel to participate	65.4	69.1	68.3	69.1	0.99
Responding via the Internet gives me more time to think about my answers	50.0	42.9	44.7	46.1	0.29
I am better at expressing my answers when I have to write them down	42.3	26.2	21.1	24.4	0.06
I prefer to give my answers anonymously	26.9	19.1	19.5	19.4	0.61
I find it easier to discuss personal issues through the Internet	23.1	23.8	11.4	15.7	0.02*
Other advantages**	11.5	4.8	4.1	4.6	0.27

Numbers of respondents with a preference for participation in an OFG or with no preference for OFG or FTF are reported. Because the age of 26 of these respondents was unknown, the total number of respondents exceeds the sum of the three subgroups.
*Differences between the age groups are statistically significant (chi-square test, p < 0.05).
**The most important other advantage of OFGs mentioned by respondents was that it is easier to stick with the original subject in OFGs than in FTFs (N = 3).

ISSN: 1756-0500