Collin-Vézina, Delphine; Thibault, Mélodie; De La Sablonnière-Griffin, Mireille 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1856-4256 et Milot, Tristan
(2026).
Interviewing children and young people about their traumatic experiences: Ethical issues
Child Protection and Practice
, vol. 9
, nº 100298.
DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2026.100298.
Résumé
Psychological trauma that occurs early in life can alter a child's normal cognitive, emotional, relational, and behavioural development. These experiences include abuse (e.g., physical and sexual abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic violence), family dysfunction (e.g., parental substance abuse and mental health issues), and violence in school and the community. The current sociopolitical context, including the #MeToo movement, shows that the public, increasingly aware of people's traumatic experiences, is calling for a collective response to violence and trauma. Global interest in prevention, intervention, and policy to address this significant social problem has led to a considerable increase in research efforts to produce valid and credible information to guide how we respond to these traumas. In particular, numerous studies have highlighted the high prevalence of these experiences during childhood and the significant consequences they have for those who experience them, as well as confirming the positive impact of programs to help those affected recover and return to a more normative developmental trajectory despite adversity.
These efforts, while commendable, have been widely criticized for failing to integrate the perspectives of those affected by these realities, namely children and young people themselves (Aldridge, 2014). Indeed, most of these studies have been conducted among adult survivors of childhood violence, or through analyses of files and of clinical and administrative data. Among the factors influencing this trend, it should be noted that researchers may encounter resistance from ethics committees concerned about the potential negative impact, particularly on children and adolescents (Powell et al., 2019). The very idea of asking questions directly to children and young people who have experienced trauma clearly raises discomfort. This reluctance is fueled by relevant ethical questions: Is there a way to ask minors about their difficult life experiences without causing them additional harm, such as discomfort, distress, or even trauma? Even worse, isn't there a risk of re-traumatizing children when asking them to reveal what they have been through?
This article explores research on interviewing children and young people about their traumatic experiences. We will first present the current state of scientific knowledge on the impacts of interviewing minors about traumatic experiences. Next, we will share our ethical and professional considerations regarding the conditions conducive to gathering this information, maintaining the best interests of the child at the forefront of our suggestions. Although the participation of children and young people in research is gradually becoming the norm, their inclusion must strike a balance between the ethical obligation to limit harm, and respect for their autonomy as social actors and independent rights holders to participate in research that concerns them. The ethical obligation of research teams to conduct a rigorous but balanced assessment of the disadvantages and benefits is essential.
| Type de document: | Article |
|---|---|
| Mots-clés libres: | childhood trauma; trauma-informed research; ethical considerations in research; child and adolescent participation |
| Centre: | Centre Urbanisation Culture Société |
| Date de dépôt: | 30 avr. 2026 19:25 |
| Dernière modification: | 30 avr. 2026 19:25 |
| URI: | https://espace.inrs.ca/id/eprint/17090 |
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