Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Researching with Children

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Handbook of Research Methods in Health Social Sciences

Abstract

Research with children is a vast and complex field, as it is influenced by the conceptions of childhood prevalent in each historical period, each particular culture, and each research team conception. In addition, research with children encompasses different points of view: social, political, cultural, and psychological. This chapter provides a review of the current state and the recent developments in each of these fields. Research with children presents researchers with the challenge of finding methods that are well-suited to children and that recognize the importance of children’s experience and agency. Such methods should promote a respectful approach based on ethics. We conceive children as the real protagonists, and thus believe they need to be addressed directly. In the same way, children’s self-expression, understanding, and empowerment should be promoted through the use of different techniques. For the purposes stated above, this chapter explores the possibility of using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods and the emerging of new proposals such as the inclusion of technologies and arts-based methods that present significant future perspectives.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aber LJ, Jones S. Indicators of positive development in early childhood: Improving concepts and measures. In: Hauser RM, Brown BV, Prosser WR, editors. Indicators of children’s wellbeing, pp. 395–408. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ager A. Annual research review: resilience and child well-being–public policy implications. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2013;54(4):488–500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appadurai A. La modernidad desbordada: dimensiones culturales de la globalización. Montevideo: Ediciones Trilce; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aries P. Centuries of childhood: a social history of family life. New York: Vintage Books; 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  • Backe-Hansen E. Between participation and protection. Involving children in child protection research. In: Fossheim H, editor. Cross-cultural child research ethical issues. Norway: The Norwegian National Research Ethics Committees; 2013. Retrieved from https://www.etikkom.no/globalassets/documents/publikasjoner-som-pdf/cross-cultural-child-research-webutgave.pdf. Accessed 27 Jun 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bagnoli A. Beyond the standard interview: the use of graphic elicitation and arts-based methods. Qual Res. 2009;9(5):547–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Arieh A. Beyond welfare: measuring and monitoring the state of children – new trends and domains. Soc Indic Res. 2000;52(3):235–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Arieh A. Where are the children? Children’s role in measuring and monitoring their wellbeing. Social Indicators. 2005;74(3):573–596.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Arieh A. The child indicators movement: past, present, and future. Child Indic Res. 2008;1(1):3–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Arieh A, Kaufman NH, Andrews AB, George RM, Lee BJ, Aber LJ. Measuring and monitoring children’s well-being, vol. 7. Dordreth: Springer; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berry JW. Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation. Appl Psychol. 1997;46(1):5–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Binda NU, Balbastre-Benavent F. Investigación cuantitativa e investigación cualitativa: buscando las ventajas de las diferentes metodologías de investigación. Rev Cienc Econ. 2013;31(2):179–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boddy J. Ethics tensions in research with children across cultures, within countries. A UK Perspective. In: Fossheim H, editor. Cross-cultural child research ethical issues. Norway: The Norwegian National Research Ethics Committees; 2013. Retrieved from https://www.etikkom.no/globalassets/documents/publikasjoner-som-pdf/cross-cultural-child-research-webutgave.pdf. Accessed 27 Jun 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bornstein MH, Bradley RH, editors. Socioeconomic status, parenting, and child development. Oxon: Routledge; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boydell KM, Gladstone BM, Volpe T, Allemang B, Stasiulis E. The production and dissemination of knowledge: a scoping review of arts-based health research. Forum Qualitat Social Res. 2012;13(1):Art. 32. http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1711/3328

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw J, Hoelscher P, Richardson D. An index of child well-being in the European Union. Soc Indic Res. 2007;80(1):133–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryman A. Social research methods. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapple S, Richardson D. Doing better for children. OECD; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen P, James A, editors. Research with children: perspectives and practices. London: Falmer Press; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark E. The proceedings of the thirtieth annual child language research forum. Stanford: Center for Study of Language and Information; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cochran-Smith M, Lytle SL. Commentary – changing perspectives on practitioner research inquiry: perspectives, processes and possibilities. Learning Landscape. 2011; 4(2):7–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coffey A, Atkinson P. Making sense of qualitative data: complementary research strategies. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins CS, Cooper JE. Emotional intelligence and the qualitative researcher. Int J Qual Methods. 2014;13(1):88–103. http://ijq.sagepub.com/content/13/1/88.full.pdf+html. Accessed 25 Jun 2015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook TD, Reichardt CS. Métodos cualitativos y cuantitativos en investigación evaluativa. Madrid: Morata; 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Denzin NK. The research act: a theoretical introduction to sociological methods. New York: Praeger; 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • ECLAC/UNICEF TACRO (The Americas and the Caribbean Regional Office). Pobreza infantil en América Latina y el Caribe, LC/R.2168. Santiago: ECLAC; 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards CP. Children’s play in cross-cultural perspective: a new look at the six cultures study. Faculty Publications, Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies. Paper 1. 2005. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=famconfacpub. Accessed 9 Oct 2015.

  • Espíndola Advis E, Rico MN. Child poverty in Latin America: multiple deprivation and monetary measures combined. In: Minujin A, Nandy S, editors. Global child poverty and well-being: measurement, concepts, policy and action Bristol. UK: The Policy Press.pp; 2013. p. 379–418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez S. Promoting the benefits of language learning. Report to the department of education and training. Melbourne: Research unit for multilingualism and cross cultural communication at the university of Melbourne. 2007. Retrieved from https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/student/promobenefitslanglearning.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fossheim H. Introduction. In: Fossheim H, editor. Cross-cultural child research: Ethical issues. Oslo: Norwegian National Research Ethics Committees; 2013. p. 9–16. https://www.etikkom.no/globalassets/documents/publikasjoner-som-pdf/cross-cultural-child-research-webutgave.pdf. Accessed 27 Jun 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fu G, Xu F, Cameron CA, Heyman G, Lee K. Cross-cultural differences in children’s choices, categorizations, and evaluations of truths and lies. Dev Psychol. 2007;43(2):278–93. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2581463/

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuhs B. Die Generationenproblematik in der Kindheitsdforshcung /The Problem of Generations in the Research of Childhood. In Honig, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaitan Muñoz L. El espacio social de la infancia. Madrid: Comunidad de Madrid Conserjería de Sanidad y Servicios Sociales; 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  • García M, Hecht AC. Los niños como interlocutores en la investigación antropológica. Consideraciones a partir de un taller de memoria con niños y niñas indígenas. Telluso. 2009;7:163–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert K, editor. The emotional nature of qualitative research. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giménez G. Identidades en globalización. Espiral, Vll. 2000;19:27–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giménez G. La concepción simbólica de la cultura. In: Giménez G, editor. Teoría y análisis de la cultura. México: CONACULTA e Instituto Coahuilense de Cultura; 2005. p. 67–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glokner Fagetti V. Infancia y representación. Hacia una participación activa de los niños en las investigaciones en Ciencias Sociales. Revista Tramas, subjetividad y procesos sociales. N° 28. Diciembre. México DF: Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana; 2007. p. 67–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson MJ. Families with Anglo-European roots. In: Lynch EW, Hanson MJ, editors. Developing crosscultural competence: a guide for working with young children and their families. Baltimore: Brookes; 1992. p. 65–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirschfeld L. Why don’t anthropologists like children? Am Anthropol. 2002;104(2):611–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hymes D. Why linguistics needs the sociologist. Soc Res. 1967;34:632–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson-Maldonado D, Thal D, Marchman V, Bates E, Gutierrez-Clellen V. Early lexical development in Spanish-speaking infants and toddlers. J Child Lang. 1993;20:523–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • James A, Prout A, editors. Constructing and reconstructing childhood: contemporary issues in the sociological study of childhood. London: Falmer Press; 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson R, Onwuegbuzie B, Turner L. Toward a definition of mixed methods research. J Mixed Methods Res. 2007;1:112–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Junker DA, Stockman IJ. Expressive vocabulary of German-English bilingual toddlers. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2002;11(4):381–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamerman S. Preface. In: Kamerman S, Phipps S, Ben-Arieh A, editors. From child welfare to child well-being. Dordrecht: Springer; 2010.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kibria N. The changing lives of Vietnamese-Americans. Princeton: Princeton University Press; 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kjørholt AM. “Childhood studies” and the ethics of an encounter: reflections on research with children in different cultural contexts. In: Fossheim H, editor. Cross-cultural child research: ethical issues. Oslo: Norwegian National Research Ethics Committees; 2013. p. 17–44. https://www.etikkom.no/globalassets/documents/publikasjoner-som-pdf/cross-cultural-child-research-webutgave.pdf. Accessed 27 Jun 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohan W. Infancia entre educación y filosofía. Barcelona: Ed. Laertes; 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwan YK, Ip WC. Life satisfaction, perceived health, violent and altruistic behaviour of Hong Kong Chinese adolescents: only children versus children with siblings. Child Indic Res. 2009;2(4):375–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lau AS, McCabe KM, Yeh M, Garland AF, Wood PA, Hough RL. The acculturation gap-distress hypothesis among high-risk Mexican American families. J Fam Psychol. 2005;19(3):367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li H, Martin AJ, Armstrong D, Walker R. Risk, protection, and resilience in Chinese adolescents: a psycho-social study. Asian J Soc Psychol. 2011;14(4):269–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liamputtong P. Qualitative research methods, 4th edn. Melbourne: Oxford University Press; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liddicoat A. Learning a language, learning about language, learning to be literate. Babel. 2001;35(3):12–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liebel M. Paternalismo, participación y protagonismo infantil. In: Corona Caraveo Y, Linares Pontón ME, editors. Participación infantil y juvenil en América Latina. México: UAM; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky S, Lepper S. A measure of subjective happiness: preliminary reliability and construct validation. Soc Indic Res. 1999;46:137–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maxwell J. Qualitative research design: an interactive approach. New York: Sage; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mieles Barrera M, Tonon G. Children’s quality of life in the Caribbean: a qualitative study. In: Tonon G, editor. Qualitative studies in quality of life methodology and practice, Social indicators research series, vol. 55. Switzerland: Springer; 2015. p. 121–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreno R. Everyday instruction: a comparison of Mexican American and Anglo mothers and their preschool children. Hisp J Behav Sci. 1997;19:527–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore KA, Lippman L, Brown B. Indicators of child well-being: The promise for positive youth development. The annals of the american academy of political and social science. 2004;591(1):125–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson C. The strengths revolution: a positive psychology perspective. Reclaiming Child Youth. 2013;21(4):7–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pita Fernández S, Pértegas Díaz S. Investigación cuantitativa y cualitativa. Cad Aten Primaria. 2002;9:76–8. http://www.fisterra.com/mbe/investiga/cuanti_cuali/cuanti_cuali.asp

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell MA, Graham A, Taylor NJ, Newell S, Fitzgerald R. Building capacity for ethical research with children and young people: an international research project to examine the ethical issues and challenges in undertaking research with and for children in different majority and minority world contexts – report prepared for the Childwatch International Research Network. Oslo, Norway. 2011. Retrieved from http://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1033&context=ccyp_pubs. Accessed 26 Jun 2014.

  • Prosser J, Burke C. Image-based educational research: childlike perspectives. In: Knowles JG, Cole A, editors. Handbook of the arts in qualitative research: perspectives, methodologies, examples and issues. London: Sage; 2008. p. 407–20.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Punch S. Research with children: the same or different from research with adults? Childhood. 2002;9(3):321–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabello de Castro L. Participación política en el contexto escolar: experiencias de jóvenes en acción colectiva. In: Corona Caraveo Y, Linares Pontón ME, editors. Participación infantil y juvenil en América Latina. México: Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana; 2007. p. 17–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez Pascual I. Redefiniendo el trabajo metodológico cualitativo con niños: el uso de la entrevista de grupo aplicada al estudio de la tecnología EMPIRIA. Rev Metodología Cienc Soc. 2006;12:65–88. Retrieved from http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=297124008003. Accessed 23 Jul 2015

    Google Scholar 

  • Roer-Strier D, Rosenthal MK. Socialization in changing cultural contexts: a search for images of the “adaptive adult”. Soc Work. 2001;46(3):215–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampieri RH, Collado CF, Lucio PB. Metodología de la investigación. México: Edición McGraw-Hill; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanders J, Munford R, Liebenberg L. Young people, their families and social supports: understanding resilience with complexity theory. In: Ungar M, editor. The social ecology of resilience. New York: Springer; 2012. p. 233–43.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Scott J. Children as respondents: the challenge for quantitavive methods. In: Christensen P, James A, editors. Research with children: perspectives and practices. London: Routledge; 2000. p. 98–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sen A. Desarrollo y libertad. Bogota: Ed. Planeta; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szapocznik J, Kurtines WM. Family psychology and cultural diversity: opportunities for theory, research, and application. Am Psychol. 1993;48:400–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tonon G. Young people’s quality of life and construction of citizenship, Series SpringerBriefs in well-being and quality of life research. Dordrecht: Springer; 2012.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tonon G, editor. Qualitative studies in quality of life methodology and practice, Social indicators research series, vol. 55. Cham: Springer; 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO. Social determinants of health and well-being among young people. Copenhagen: World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe; 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yelland G, Pollard J, Mercuri A. The metalinguistic benefits of limited contact with a second language. Appl Psycholinguist. 1993;14:423–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad de Palermo, Mario Bravo 1259, Buenos Aires, C1175ABW, Argentina

    Graciela Tonon

  2. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Mario Bravo 1259, Buenos Aires, C1175ABW, Argentina

    Lia Rodriguez de la Vega

  3. Master Program in Social Sciences and CICS, Universidad de Palermo, Mario Bravo 1259. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1175ABW, Argentina

    Denise Benatuil

Authors
  1. Graciela Tonon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lia Rodriguez de la Vega
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Denise Benatuil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Graciela Tonon .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Health, Locked Bag 1797, CA.02.35, Western Sydney Univ, School of Science & Health, Locked Bag 1797, CA.02.35, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia

    Pranee Liamputtong

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this entry

Cite this entry

Tonon, G., de la Vega, L.R., Benatuil, D. (2017). Researching with Children. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Research Methods in Health Social Sciences . Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2779-6_123-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2779-6_123-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-2779-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-2779-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Social SciencesReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation