Franchino-Olsen Hannabeth, Woollett Nataly, Thurston Christina, Maluleke Pamela, Christofides Nicola, Meinck Franziska
School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom; College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, United States.
School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Visual Arts, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Child Abuse Negl. 2025 Apr;162(Pt 1):106932. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106932. Epub 2024 Jul 6.
Children's participation in research is a rights-based principle. However, young children are often excluded from research on sensitive topics, due to gatekeepers concerns that participation would cause distress/re-traumatization and conflict with the principle of providing adequate protection from harm.
To provide evidence around young children's feelings, including potential distress, and beliefs in mixed-method interviews about violence and difficult experiences.
Data were collected from South African interviewer focus group discussions and young child (age 6-10) interviews, along with observations and fieldnotes from young child (age 6-17) interviews.
We collected and analyzed qualitative data focused on children's displayed and reported emotions and beliefs in violence-focused interviews.
Findings showed the quantitative interview was frequently a positive experience for young children, and children who became upset or emotional stated their feelings were due to violence they experienced. The interviewer seemed to represent a safe person to whom the child could disclose. The play- and arts-based methods of the interview were useful in building this safety and providing space for children to regulate difficult emotions.
In a carefully managed interview environment using developmentally appropriate methods, young children are enthusiastic participants and do not appear to experience undue distress or trauma when asked about violence and other sensitive topics. Findings demonstrate that young children can be safely included in research about violence and issues that impact them and can exercise their right to participation when research methods, environments, and safeguards are appropriately adapted to their needs.
儿童参与研究是一项基于权利的原则。然而，幼儿往往被排除在关于敏感话题的研究之外，原因是把关人担心参与研究会给儿童带来痛苦/再次创伤，并且与提供充分保护使其免受伤害的原则相冲突。
通过混合方法访谈，获取关于幼儿对暴力和艰难经历的感受（包括潜在痛苦）及信念的证据。
数据收集自南非访谈员焦点小组讨论以及幼儿（6至10岁）访谈，同时还有幼儿（6至17岁）访谈的观察结果和现场记录。
我们收集并分析了定性数据，重点关注以暴力为主题的访谈中儿童所表现出的和所报告的情感及信念。
研究结果表明，定量访谈对幼儿来说通常是一次积极的经历，那些感到不安或情绪化的儿童表示，他们的感受是由自身经历的暴力所致。访谈员似乎是儿童可以倾诉的安全对象。基于游戏和艺术的访谈方法有助于营造这种安全感，并为儿童调节复杂情绪提供空间。
在使用适合其发展阶段的方法精心管理的访谈环境中，当被问及暴力及其他敏感话题时，幼儿是积极的参与者，且似乎不会经历过度痛苦或创伤。研究结果表明，当研究方法、环境和保障措施根据幼儿的需求进行适当调整时，幼儿能够被安全地纳入关于暴力及影响他们的问题的研究中，并能行使其参与权。
