Researching children’s experiences through interviews presents a number of methodological challenges, and several factors that underpin the interview situation need to be given special consideration when working with children.
The age of the child is generally understood as the key factor when interviewing children; however, it is more important for the researcher to be aware of the child’s ability as opposed to their chronological age.
Questions directed to the child need to be developmentally appropriate and specifically tailored to each child’s level of understanding. Children’s receptive language ability must be taken into consideration when interviewing, as young children may have difficulty understanding metaphors and abstract ideas (Greene & Hill, 2005). Expressive language ability is also a factor when children are answering questions; children may answer: “I don’t know” if they do not have the ability to express what they are thinking or feeling. Children are also capable of deceit, and may make up stories during the interviews either to avoid the topic, to avoid telling the truth or to impress or amuse the researcher (Greene & Hill; 2005). Closed questions should be avoided where possible, as children are more likely to answer “no”, if they do not understand the question. Open-ended questions tend to yield longer responses with more details. Researchers must also be careful to avoid leading questions such as “Were you happy?” as children may be more susceptible to suggestion from adults (Greene & Hill, 2005; Waterman, Blades & Spencer; 2001).
Another important factor that may influence the interview situation lies in the power differential that typically exists between adults and children in everyday life. In various roles, (e.g. parents, teachers) adults have authority over children. This unequal distribution of power in adult-child interaction may affect the interview situation. The child may find it difficult to disagree with the researcher or may be shy in saying things which they think may be deemed unacceptable. Because of some experiences in everyday life children may find it difficult to realise that researchers are there to take their views seriously (Cloke, 1995; Greene & Hill, 2005). Finally, the interview setting also represents an important factor in interviewing children, as children behave differently in different situations and settings. Interviewing a child in an environment in which s/he is comfortable is vital. In almost all cases in the present study, children were interviewed in their own home.
Ethical Issues
The research was conducted in accordance with the Ethical Guidelines for conducting research with children, as outlined by the Children’s Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin (see www.tcd.ie/childrensresearchcentre). These guidelines were derived from a number of core values including commitment to the well-being of the participants involved in the research process, commitment to doing no harm to participants, commitment to the rights of those involved, and being child-centred in its approach to research, listening to children, and treating them in a fair manner. The principle of voluntary, informed consent was a central aspect of the recruitment process. As part of the recruitment process, and through the distribution of leaflets and letters to prospective participants, parents were informed of the nature of the research, what participation would entail and what would happen to the information collected during the interviews. Parents were encouraged to discuss the research with their children beforehand to ensure that children could also make a decision about whether they wanted to participate.
At the beginning of the home visit, parents signed consent forms indicating their willingness to be interviewed. They were assured that their details would be treated confidentially and not shared with any third party. Although the information they provided during the interview would be used in the study, the information would be disguised to maintain anonymity. Parents also signed consent forms indicating their willingness to allow the researcher to interview their children. Parents were informed that information received during the child’s interview would not be discussed with them, except in the event that the child
disclosed information indicating that their safety was in question in some way. However, this discussion with the parent would not take place without prior discussion with the child and the researcher’s supervisors. A similar consent procedure operated with the children (over 5 years). They were informed that all information would be treated confidentially, and any identifying information would be changed in the dissemination of research findings. It was emphasised to the children that the information they supplied would not be discussed with their parents, except if they revealed information indicating that their safety was under threat (e.g. disclosure of child abuse). The researcher explained that if such a disclosure occurred, the issue would be addressed through discussion with relevant parties, but this would not happen without their prior knowledge.
Both before and at the end of the interview, families were informed that if the researchers noted anything of concern, which may not have been identified by parents, the researchers would bring it to their attention. At the end of the interview, families were also invited to contact the researchers if they had any questions arising from the interview process. In a small number of cases, families were contacted to discuss issues which had arisen. Also in a small number of instances, families contacted the researchers to discuss issues which had come up for them following the research interview.