Formative Research: Skills and Practice for Infant and Young Child Feeding and Maternal Nutrition

The manual was prepared by the AED/LINKAGES team, with contributions from LINKAGES' partners, including CARE/India, Catholic Relief Services (CRS/India), and World Vision/India. The manual draws from Designing by Dialogue: A Guide to Consultative Research, developed by the AED/SARA project and the Manoff Group in 1997. However, it contains less detail and requires less time for training. The manual is a product of the LINKAGES: Breastfeeding, LAM, Related Complementary Feeding, and Maternal Nutrition Program, supported by the GH/HIDN of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Cooperative Agreement No. HRN-A-00-97-00007-00. The manual is divided into 30 sessions, covering topics such as participant expectations and learning objectives, pretest, technical review, and behaviour change communication (BCC). Sessions 7-14 focus on the first stage of formative research, including reviewing existing information, non-verbal communication, asking questions, and in-depth interviews. Sessions 15-26 cover the second stage of formative research, including observation, 24-hour dietary recall, counselling, and trials of improved practices (TIPS). The manual emphasizes the importance of formative research in understanding the community, identifying specific behaviours to promote, and developing a comprehensive BCC strategy. It provides an opportunity for stakeholders to participate in and contribute to program activities based on tested recommendations. The manual also highlights the role of TIPS in testing recommendations and determining which ideal behaviours are possible in certain contexts. The purpose of this module is to build the capacity of program staff to design and manage formative research on infant feeding and maternal nutrition practices. It can also be adapted to design and manage formative research for other health and nutritional issues. The manual is designed for experienced facilitators who have a solid foundation in infant feeding technical information, an understanding of behaviour change communication, and experience in counselling or strong interpersonal communication skills. The manual is intended to help facilitators prepare participants to conduct formative research, including trials of improved practices, in-depth interviews, household observations, 24-hour recall, and focus group discussions. It also aims to equip participants with effective communication skills to plan and improve programs. Field visits provide an opportunity for participants to immediately transfer their learning. The manual is a valuable resource for program planners and implementers seeking to design and manage formative research on infant feeding and maternal nutrition practices. It provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the community, identifying specific behaviours to promote, and developing a comprehensive BCC strategy.