Training of interviewers

Jan Smit
Consultant
Statistics Division, ESCAP

With thanks to Wei Liu

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Outline
 Overview of ESCAP/WHO project
 Training of interviewers

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
ESCAP/WHO project
 ESCAP/WHO Project on Improving
Disability Data
 2004-2006
 Goal: improve national disability
statistics by applying the ICF
framework and using international
measurement standards

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
ESCAP/WHO project (cont.)

 Target group: statisticians and experts

in disability from 20 countries
 Expected outcome: capacity to
produce better disability data that
meet policy needs
 Partners: Australian Bureau of
Statistics, Washington Group

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Project countries
1. Afghanistan
2. Brunei Darussalam
3. Cambodia
4. China
5. DPR Korea
6. Islamic Republic of Iran
7. Japan
8. Hong Kong, China
9. Laos
10. Macao, China
11. Republic of Korea
12. Singapore
13. Sri Lanka
14. Thailand
15. Vietnam

Taking part in pilot test

1. Fiji
2. Indonesia
3. India
4. Mongolia
5. Philippines

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Motivation for project
 Biwako Millennium Framework for
Action (BMF) Principle 6 to
“Strengthen national capacity in data
collection and analysis concerning
disability statistics”
 However, many data issues within
ESCAP region

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Regional disability data issues
 Data not available to inform policy
 Disability prevalence is
underestimated
 Traditional view of disability prevails
at every layer of societies, incl.
government
 No comparability of data; need for
use of international standards and
guidelines

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 Lack of data comparability
Prevalence of persons with disabilities in Asian
and Pacific Countries (%)

25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0% 1985 1981 1982 2000 1995 2001 1986 2001 2002 2000 2005 1987 2002 2001 2003
Admin. Census Survey Census Census Survey Survey Census Survey Survey Survey Survey Survey Survey Survey
Records

Singapore Pakistan BangladeshPhilippines Philippines Thailand Sri Lanka India Turkey Hong Korea China Japan New Australia
Kong (Republic Zealand
of)

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Project components
 Phase 1:
 Training in the use of ICF for disability
collection, in standard methodologies
and in design of collection tools
 National action plans for improving
disability information systems
 Preparation of disability statistics
training manual & material

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Project components (cont.)

 Phase 2:
 Field testing of standard sets of disability
questions through identical protocols
 Evaluation of results for application to
real data collections
 Building a network of experts

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Main project activities
 4 regional workshops for advocating
and training on the ICF approach and
its implementation
 Pilot testing of disability
questionnaires for use in census and
surveys and results analysis and
dissemination
 The ESCAP/WHO Disability Statistics
Training Manual

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Interviewer training
 Methods and length
 Interviewer selection
 Interviewer training elements
 Interviewing techniques

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Methods interviewer training
 Role play interviews
 Interview with a real-life respondent
 Review video-taped test interviews, if
possible
 Review of training material & and
survey instruments
 Length of training: 2-3 days

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Selection of interviewers
 Interviewing skills & experience more
important than formal qualifications
 Disability questions should be clearly and
simply worded
 Therefore, no need for interviewers with
medical background

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Interviewer training elements
 Interviewer instructions
 Data collection objectives, incl. data use
 Explanation of each question, incl.
definitions & response categories
 Interviewer training course
 Ideally face-to-face
 If to costly, home study of interviewer
manual + exercises
 Address stereotypes & myths
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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Stereotypes & myths
 People with disabilities are often
viewed as:
 Incapable of participating in normal
social life
 Lacking skills or talents
 Needing charity
 Putting a strain on social resources

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Training therefore should…
 Review whether interviewers (perhaps
unconsciously) share these views
 Be dealt with if they exist
 To eliminate interviewer bias
 Best discussed in the open during
training sessions

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Interviewing techniques
 Interviewing for disability surveys (or
asking disability census question)
much the same as with other surveys
 Interviewer:
 Introduces him/herself to respondents
 Is prepared to answer questions from
respondents
 Follows a few simple rules for
interviewing

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Introduction/gain rapport
 Interviewer introduces him/herself by
name
 Explains topic of survey (or census)
 Explains for what reason survey is
being conducted
 Says how long (how many minutes)
interview is going to last

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Questions respondents may ask
 As with any survey:
 Where did you get my name?
 Why did you choose me for this
interview?
 What kind of questions are you going to
ask?
 How long is interview going to last? (If
not already mentioned)
 What are you going to do with the data?

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Questions respondents may ask
 Disability survey specific:
 I’m old, not disabled; why do you include
me in your survey?
 Why does the government spend money
on a survey instead of on providing
better services?
 What services (for people with my
disability) are offered?

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Simple rules for interviewing
 Ask questions exactly as worded on
questionnaire
 Even slight word changes can change the
response obtained
 Ask questions in the order they
appear on the questionnaire
 Ask every question in questionnaire
 Even if already answered while answering
another question

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Simple rules… (cont.)

 Wait for respondent to finish talking

before starting to write
 Respondent might get upset otherwise
 Interviewer may make mistakes
 Don’t interrupt respondent, even if he
hesitates or is quiet for a while
 Don’t anticipate or assume answers

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Simple rules… (cont.)
 If answer appears dubious and
interviewer thinks the respondent
doesn’t fully understand the question,
repeat the question as written
 Questions should be asked in a neutral
tone; don’t say:
 “You might not want to answer this
question, but…”
 “This question probably won’t make
much sense to you…”
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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Simple rules… (cont.)
 Stay professional and upbeat
throughout the interview
 Even if respondent is difficult or
uncooperative
 Don’t get upset, stay courteous
 Thank respondent at the end of each
interview for his time and co-
operation

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Disability specific interviewing
 Some households might want to hide
names or existence of children (or
others) with disabilities
 All household members should be listed,
of course
 Some people with disabilities might
tire easily
 1 or more repeat visits might be
necessary

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Tips and tricks
 Treat people with disabilities like
anyone else
 Disability doesn’t change everything
about a person!
 Don’t hesitate to use:
 Look and see with people who are blind or
visually impaired
 Listen and hear with people who are deaf or

hard of hearing
 Walk or run with people with mobility

impairments
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Tips and tricks (cont.)

 Be respectful of people with

disabilities
 Avoid stereotyping
 Don’t patronize; don’t tell people with
disabilities that you admire them
 Don’t imply people with disabilities are
child-like or of limited intelligence
 Speak to respondent, not to sign
language interpreter (if present)

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Tips and tricks (cont.)

 Be aware of, and accommodate,

communication difficulties
 Persons who are deaf may be able to lip
read and converse orally
 Persons with a speech impairment may
be unclear at first; ask to repeat
themselves (they are probably used to it)

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Tips and tricks (cont.)

 Accommodate the deaf and hearing-

impaired respondent
 Some visual sign may be needed to draw
attention of respondent
 Only speak more loudly or slowly when
requested by respondent (he/she may be
able to lip-read)
 Body language and facial expressions are
important

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Tips and tricks (cont.)

 Accommodate the blind and visually-

impaired respondent
 Address respondent by name to make
clear he/she is being addressed
 If Braille material is used, be aware that
not all blind respondents can read Braille

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Training of interviewers 08/12/21
Tips and tricks (cont.)

 Accommodate respondents with

intellectual impairments
 Respondents may need more time to
understand questions; don’t rush and
repeat if necessary
 Don’t treat respondents like children
 Be aware that some respondents may be
anxious to please (by giving ‘right’
answers)

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Interviewing in institutions
 Presents additional problems that
needed to be planned for in advance
 Schedule appointments (with institution’s
staff members) in advance
 Be prepared for the unpredictable

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