ERIC Number: EJ1192347
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1364-5579
EISSN: N/A
Sensitive Topics in Social Research Involving Children
Powell, Mary Ann; McArthur, Morag; Chalmers, Jenny; Graham, Anne; Moore, Tim; Spriggs, Merle; Taplin, Stephanie
International Journal of Social Research Methodology, v21 n6 p647-660 2018
While there is broad consensus that involving children in research is critically important for understanding their lives, there is considerable caution around their participation in social research on 'sensitive' issues. Such caution is further amplified by a lack of agreement about what constitutes a 'sensitive topic'. This article draws on data from interviews with a range of Australian stakeholders, including children, parents, researchers, ethics committee members, government and non-government organisation representatives, and other decision-makers, specifically related to the question of "what is a sensitive topic?" While participants identified a range of sensitive topics, findings point to sensitivities being closely linked with the contexts of children's lives and experiences. This requires researchers to approach research in ways that reflect more nuanced understandings of these sensitivities, help address potential concerns and facilitate the development of research relationships that promote ethical conduct of research with children.
Descriptors: Children, Social Science Research, Stakeholders, Parents, Ethics, Researchers, Participation, Foreign Countries, Social Problems
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A