Research
Defining Child-Centeredness: A Child Interview Study

The purpose of this study is to define the concept of child-centeredness from the perspective of children. Child-centeredness is typically regarded as an approach that prioritizes the needs, concerns, and experiences of children. However, these approaches are commonly based upon knowledge and practices that adults determine to be placing children at the center, meaning that the child’s perceptions and experiences often do not form the basis of what is claimed to be child-centered.  

This study will interview children about actions and behaviors of adults that lead to a felt sense of being heard, seen, and understood, generating both qualitative and visual data to formulate a greater understanding of how children can define child-centeredness. The interviews will then be viewed by a member of the research team to graphically record and depict responses to the semi-structured interview protocol, enabling a process to co-create meanings of the data with participants. By employing developmentally appropriate understandings in the methods of this study, the data collection and analysis will substantiate insights offered in interviews to determine what child-centeredness looks like from the child’s point of view to inform adult conduct and behaviors that aspire to be child-centered.