Pre Study Interview Script
Behavioral target: stress eating behaviors under academic pressures such as exams and deadlines
Length of interview: 20-30 minutes
Participants of the study: undergraduates who have experienced stress eating disorders frequently
Opening statement (1-2 minutes):
Welcome to the interview, and thank you for participating in our study. My name is [ ], and I will be your interviewer today. Please note that this is a purely discussion-based interview in which we aim to learn more about your personal experiences with stress eating behaviors and your perspectives on them. You are welcome to share any opinions, emotions, or concerns freely, and your honesty and openness will be very beneficial to the overall study.
Your experiences will help us gain a better understanding of when such behaviors happen and how you respond to them.
All of the information we discuss will be kept confidential, and any parts of the study that refer to the information discussed here today will be anonymous.
In this interview, I will ask you several questions across a few sequential categories to gradually explore the topic in more depth. Please feel free to skip any questions that you feel uncomfortable answering.
Do you have any questions?
Let’s begin!
Category 1: Daily routine and eating habits (3 minutes)
- What does your typical day look like?
- What do you usually eat for meals?
- Do you have the habits to eat snacks? If so, what kinds of snacks?
- On a typical day, do you find eating to be automatic?
Category 2: Check with basic understandings (2 minutes)
- Do you know what is stress eating
- Can you identify stress eating behaviors from your normal behaviors?
Category 3: Triggers and situations (3 minutes)
- Can you identify when stress eating happens most frequently to you? Be as specific as possible.
- What does your surroundings look like when you stress eat?
- Are you with others?
Category 4: emotional states (3 minutes)
- How do you feel before you stress eat?
- How do you feel after you stress eat?
- How do you feel during stress eating?
Category 5: Food choices (4 minutes)
- How does the food you consume when you stress eat differ from your normal diets
- What are the portion sizes?
- What’s your speed of eating?
Category 6: Reflection (4 minutes)
- Do you notice stress eating in the moment or afterwards?
- Do they feel in control?
Category 7: Set up study (2 minutes)
- Do you think you are able to track your stress eating behaviors?
- Are there any clarification questions?
Thank you for your participation!
