Cited by 670Focus Groups and Qualitative MethodsQualitative Research Methods and ApplicationsDelphi Technique in Research

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What about N? A methodological study of sample-size reporting in focus group studies

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Carlsen, Benedicte, Glenton, Claire·2011·BMC Medical Research Methodology

DOI 10.1186/1471-2288-11-26PMC PMC3061958

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Focus group studies are increasingly published in health related journals, but we know little about how researchers use this method, particularly how they determine the number of focus groups to conduct. The methodological literature commonly advises researchers to follow principles of data saturation, although practical advise on how to do this is lacking. Our objectives were firstly, to describe the current status of sample size in focus group studies reported in health journals. Secondly, to assess whether and how researchers explain the number of focus groups they carry out. METHODS: We searched PubMed for studies that had used focus groups and that had been published in open access journals during 2008, and extracted data on the number of focus groups and on any explanation authors gave for this number. We also did a qualitative assessment of the papers with regard to how number of groups was explained and discussed. RESULTS: We identified 220 papers published in 117 journals. In these papers insufficient reporting of sample sizes was common. The number of focus groups conducted varied greatly (mean 8.4, median 5, range 1 to 96). Thirty seven (17%) studies attempted to explain the number of groups. Six studies referred to rules of thumb in the literature, three stated that they were unable to organize more groups for practical reasons, while 28 studies stated that they had reached a point of saturation. Among those stating that they had reached a point of saturation, several appeared not to have followed principles from grounded theory where data collection and analysis is an iterative process until saturation is reached. Studies with high numbers of focus groups did not offer explanations for number of groups. Too much data as a study weakness was not an issue discussed in any of the reviewed papers. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings we suggest that journals adopt more stringent requirements for focus group method reporting. The often poor and inconsistent reporting seen in these studies may also reflect the lack of clear, evidence-based guidance about deciding on sample size. More empirical research is needed to develop focus group methodology.

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Ari, E. (2022) · Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights · doi:10.1108/jhti-03-2022-0110 · Cited by 6
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Roldán-Pérez, P., Miguel-Pagola, M. S., Doménech‐García, V., López, P. B., & Buesa-Estéllez, A. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0291148 · Cited by 6
“According to the literature, each focus group should have between 6 and 12 participants [30].”
Background
Adaptation of an eHealth Intervention: iSupport for Carers of People with Rare Dementias
Morgan, B. N., Windle, G., Lamers, C., Brotherhood, E., & Crutch, S. J. (2023) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21010047 · Cited by 6
“A waste of time without patients”: The views of patient representatives attending a workshop in evidence‐based practice
Dahlgren, A., & Johansen, M. (2018) · Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine · doi:10.1111/jebm.12303 · Cited by 6
Caregivers' Role in Cybersecurity for Aging Information Technology Users with Intellectual Disabilities
Rocheleau, J. N., Chalghoumi, H., Jutai, J. W., Farrell, S., Lachapelle, Y., & Cobigo, V. (2021) · Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking · doi:10.1089/cyber.2020.0572 · Cited by 6
Distilling Check-in/Check-Out into Its Core Practice Elements Through an Expert Consensus Process
Filter, K. J., Ford, A. L. B., Bullard, S. J., Cook, C. R., Sowle, C. A., Johnson, L., Kloos, E. T., & Dupuis, D. (2022) · School Mental Health · doi:10.1007/s12310-021-09495-x · Cited by 6
“Consistent with guidance for e-Delphi panel size (Avella, 2016; Carlsen & Glenton, 2011; Okoli & Pawlowski, 2004), a total of nine experts participated in our panel.”
Method
Environmental Key Performance Indicators for Sustainable Evaluation in Automotive Industry: A Focus Group Study
Chalak, M. H., Vosoughi, S., Eskafi, F., Jafari, A., Alimohammadi, I., & Kanrash, F. A. (2020) · Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management · doi:10.1142/s1464333222500077 · Cited by 6
State legislator views on funding 21st century Transportation:Important problems, missed connections
Sciara, G.-C., Waxman, A., & Buchanan, R. (2024) · Transport Policy · doi:10.1016/j.tranpol.2024.02.021 · Cited by 6
The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health: Using Focus Groups to Inform Recruitment
Tavener, M., Mooney, R., Thomson, C., & Loxton, D. J. (2016) · JMIR Research Protocols · doi:10.2196/resprot.5020 · Cited by 6
“This manuscript was guided by a recent review of focus group studies by Carlsen and Glenton [26] who conducted a review of 220 studies that had used focus groups and reported that focus group methodology was often poorly described.”
Development of Clinical Vignettes to Describe Alzheimer's Disease Health States: A Qualitative Study
Oremus, M., Xie, F., & Gaebel, K. (2016) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0162422 · Cited by 6
“Input from the final two focus groups (one of PwAD, one of caregivers) was markedly similar to the input from the previous five focus groups, regardless of participant type, thereby suggesting we had achieved saturation and could cease further recruitment [35].”
Result
The Power of the Patient Voice: Conducting and Using Qualitative Research to Improve Care and Outcomes in Peritoneal Dialysis
Manera, K., Craig, J. C., Johnson, D. W., & Tong, A. (2018) · Peritoneal Dialysis International · doi:10.3747/pdi.2017.00280 · Cited by 7
Funds of Knowledge and the College Success of First-Generation Students, Low-Income Students, and Students of Color: A Transformative Mixed Methods Study
Ramos, D. (2018) · Digital Commons - DU (University of Denver) · Cited by 6
A Pilot Study Assessing Attitudes toward Finance among Italian Business Students
Bocchialini, E., & Ronchini, B. (2019) · International Journal of Business and Management · doi:10.5539/ijbm.v14n10p44 · Cited by 6
“The overall number of participants is comparable to the average amount of respondents in similar studies (Carlsen & Glenton, 2011).”
Result
Getting underneath the skin: A community engagement event for optimal vitamin D status in an ‘easily overlooked’ group
Lee, C., Tanna, N. K., Blair, M. E., Yusuf, Y., Khalief, H., & Lakhanpaul, M. (2019) · Health Expectations · doi:10.1111/hex.12978 · Cited by 6
Les répercussions de la lombalgie chronique sont en partie liées à la perte du rôle social : une étude qualitative
Bailly, F., Foltz, V., Rozenberg, S., Fautrel, B., & Gossec, L. (2015) · Revue du Rhumatisme · doi:10.1016/j.rhum.2015.08.005 · Cited by 6
“Le nombre d'entretiens et de participants correspondait à celui observé dans d'autres études utilisant la méthode des focus group [29].”
Background
Value similarity: the key to building public trust in charitable organisations
Yang, Y., Brennan, I. R., & Wilkinson, M. (2016) · Voluntary Sector Review · doi:10.1332/204080516x14555532383091 · Cited by 6
Contextualizing critical thinking about health using digital technology in secondary schools in Kenya: a qualitative analysisPreprint
Chesire, F., Ochieng, M., Mugisha, M., Ssenyonga, R., Oxman, M., Nsangi, A., Semakula, D., Nyirazinyoye, L., Lewin, S. A., Sewankambo, N. K., et al. (2022) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1345080/v1 · Cited by 6
Less is More? Review and Recommendations for Qualitative Sampling Strategy using the S.C.A.D.E Approach
Ting, H., Turner, D., Quirkos, U. K., Tan, K., Tan, S. R., Wong, M., & Gong, J. (2023) · Asian Journal of Business Research · doi:10.14707/ajbr.230154 · Cited by 6
“This evident inadequacy in reporting across various disciplinary fields (Carlsen and Glenton, 2011; Vasileiou et al., 2018), jeopardises the reliability and legitimacy of qualitative research.”
Key factors influencing adoption of next-generation transportation technologies among people with disabilities
Sharma, S., Woodman, R., & Elliott, M. T. (2026) · Travel Behaviour & Society · doi:10.1016/j.tbs.2025.101124 · Cited by 9
“Studies show that the 90% saturation mark was reached after six focus groups (Guest et al., 2017; Carlsen and Glenton, 2011).”
Exploring barriers to accessing treatment for Lymphatic Filariasis through a socio-ecological lens in Buvuma and Napak districts, Uganda
Bagonza, A., Gibson, L. M., Kabiri, L., Bezalel, C., Narahari, S. R. B., Franks, P. J., Musoke, D., & Moffatt, C. J. (2025) · PLoS neglected tropical diseases · doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0012747 · Cited by 7
“A total of 152 community members participated in nineteen focus group discussions, with each group comprising 7 to 9 participants, as is prescribed for FGDs [34].”
Asking the experts: A focus group and review on eyewitness memory in the multicultural context of South Africa
Weiss, L., van Rosmalen, E. A. J., & Vredeveldt, A. (2025) · Open Research Europe · doi:10.12688/openreseurope.19633.1 · Cited by 5
“Third, we conducted only one focus group, while some researchers recommend at least two groups (Carlsen & Glenton, 2011).”
Co-producing an intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 75 informed by behaviour change theory
Tadrous, R., Förster, A., Farrin, A. J., Coventry, P. A., & Clegg, A. P. (2025) · BMC Geriatrics · doi:10.1186/s12877-025-05844-6 · Cited by 5
“Experts recommend focus groups of 4–12 participants, ideally 5–10, to encourage discussion without inhibiting input [47, 48].”
Adaptability assessment of the Enning road heritage district in China based on GA-BP neural network
Yu, Q., Yang, X., Wu, Y., & Fang, K. (2025) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-00083-6 · Cited by 5
“The group size was between 6 and 9 participants per session, which is the recommended range for generating productive discussions 53 .”
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING SPEAKING: VOICES OF INDONESIAN EFL LEARNERS
Nugroho, A., & Nartiningrum, N. (2020) · Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa · doi:10.31571/bahasa.v9i1.1689 · Cited by 5
“Saturation point is the point in the data analysis that shows no new information (Carlsen & Glenton, 2011).”
Background
Why place and space matter for intimate partner violence survivors’ mental wellbeing and communities in Northeastern Uganda
Mootz, J. J., Stabb, S. D., Carlson, C., Helpman, L., Mangen, P. O., & Wainberg, M. L. (2020) · Women & Health · doi:10.1080/03630242.2020.1784366 · Cited by 7
“Second, social acceptability bias could have affected conversation in the FGDs, especially because the content reflects sensitive issues.”
MethodInfluential
The Transitions to Long-term In Home Ventilator Engagement Study (Transitions to LIVE): study protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial
Amin, R., Gershon, A. S., Buchanan, F., Pizzuti, R., Qazi, A. M., Patel, N., Pinto, R. L., Moretti, M. E., Ambreen, M., TtLIVE Group, et al. (2022) · Trials · doi:10.1186/s13063-022-06035-z · Cited by 5
“We will employ an inductive, four-step content analysis process [45, 46] to identify, code, and categorize important meanings and predominant themes from the text.”
Method
Team Representation: Scale Development and Validation
Asada, A., & Reifurth, K. R. N. (2023) · Journal of Sport Management · doi:10.1123/jsm.2022-0203 · Cited by 5
Food choice, embodied knowledge and circumscribed agency: factors influencing adolescent girls’ and boys’ dietary practices in three states in northern Nigeria
Conrad, A., Singh, A., Mysore, S., Nwosu, S., Eveshoyan, M. D., & Ibraheem, U. (2024) · Public Health Nutrition · doi:10.1017/s1368980024001460 · Cited by 5
The suffering of chronic pain patients on a wait list: Are they amenable to narrative therapy?
Carr, E., McCaffrey, G., & Ortiz, M. (2017) · Canadian Journal of Pain · doi:10.1080/24740527.2017.1316173 · Cited by 5
When “Normal” Becomes Normative: A Case Study of Researchers’ Quotation Errors When Referring to a Focus Group Sample Size Study
Glenton, C., & Carlsen, B. (2019) · International Journal of Qualitative Methods · doi:10.1177/1609406919841251 · Cited by 5
“This sample size is appropriate and adequate since it falls within Carlsen and Glenton’s (2011) methodological study of sample-size reporting in focus group studies.”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialSelf-citation
Adolescents’ Perceptions of Gender Aspects in a Virtual-Reality-Based Alcohol-Prevention Tool: A Focus Group Study
Prediger, C., Hrynyschyn, R., Iepan, I., & Stock, C. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph19095265 · Cited by 5
“However, since the trade-off between the number of focus groups on the one side and richness of the data and analysis on the other side is more important for the quality of qualitative studies than sample size [43], this study still provides valuable insights.”
Background
Ethnocultural Minority Workers and Sustainable Return to Work Following Work Disability: A Qualitative Interpretive Description Study
Coutu, M., Durand, M., Côté, D., Tremblay, D., Sylvain, C., Gouin, M.-M., Bilodeau, K., Nastasia, I., & Paquette, M.-A. (2022) · Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation · doi:10.1007/s10926-022-10044-9 · Cited by 5
“Four focus groups were held, specifically, one homogenous group and three heterogenous (mixed) groups [41].”
Background
Barriers to and Facilitators of Adherence to Prescribed Home Exercise in Older Adults at Risk of Falling in Singapore: A Qualitative Study
Teng, B., Rosbergen, I. C. M., Gomersall, S. R., Hatton, A. L., & Brauer, S. (2022) · Journal of Aging and Physical Activity · doi:10.1123/japa.2021-0192 · Cited by 5
Migrant millennials & their food adoption perspective -A grounded theory approach
Jha, S., & Chopra, K. (2022) · Cleaner and Responsible Consumption · doi:10.1016/j.clrc.2022.100072 · Cited by 6
The family experiences of in-hospital care questionnaire in severe traumatic brain injury (FECQ-TBI): a validation study
Anke, A., Manskow, U. S., Friborg, O., Røe, C., & Arntzen, C. (2016) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1884-6 · Cited by 5
“There is a lack of clear evidence based guidance about deciding on sample size, and the usual group size is between 4 and 12 participants [28].”
Background

Authors: Carlsen, B., & Glenton, C.
Affiliations: SINTEF (NO)
Corresponding author: Carlsen, Benedicte
ORCID: Glenton, Claire
Venue: BMC Medical Research Methodology
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2011-03-11
Volume: 11
Issue: 1
Pages: 26-26
ISSN: 1471-2288 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2288-11-26
PMC: PMC3061958
OpenAlex: W2013335946
Cited by: 670
References: 72
Citations by year: 2026: 29 · 2025: 47 · 2024: 53 · 2023: 53 · 2022: 68 · 2021: 52 · 2020: 66 · 2019: 56 · 2018: 50 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 16
FWCI: 80.06
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: gold
doi.org
Licence: cc-by
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 (tdm)
Locations: BMC Medical Research Methodology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Bergen Open Research Archive (BORA) (University of Bergen) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders: Universitetet i Bergen
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Focus Groups and Qualitative Methods
Social Sciences › Education › Qualitative Research Methods and Applications
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Delphi Technique in Research
Keywords: focus groups, sample size reporting, data saturation, grounded theory, qualitative research methodology, reporting guidelines, health journals, methodological quality
MeSH terms: Humans, Research Design, Focus Groups, Sample Size, PubMed

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