Considerations when Conducting Research Focus Groups with Families and Friends of Homicide Victims

Research with families and friends of homicide victims (FFHV) requires researchers to consider how to best protect participants. Due to the nature of this type of research, researchers need to be aware of concerns such as sensitivity due to the emotional weight of sharing about their loved one, mental health, and trauma. Although there has been an increase in research focused on FFHV, no known research has provided guidance on considerations for holding focus groups (FG) with FFHV. Based on several years of holding focus groups with FFHV, this short take provides suggestions that include the following: selecting a research team; confidentiality; victim-informed questions; the research environment; research time and location; mental health concerns; participant burden; support information; concluding the groups; and researcher transparency and accountability.