Children’s participation and inclusion in violence research, particularly in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) contexts, is scant and not well understood. To assess how young children can be engaged in violence research, 4- to 7-year-old children were recruited into our pilot study in a rural area of South Africa. Six interviewers, recruited from the community, were trained to complete cognitive interviews ( n = 24), interviewer-administered questionnaires ( n = 21), and qualitative interviews ( n = 18) with young children. Three focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with interviewers. Findings from FGDs and assessment of interview performance highlighted that young children could feasibly and meaningfully appraise violence they experience and articulate their view in a research context. Art- and play-based approaches offered participants an easier and developmentally appropriate platform for communication, expression, and engagement, and asking directly about violence was acceptable. The ease with which children participated was determined both by their level of development and the sensitivity of the interviewers; thus, intensive training and mentorship were required over time to assist interviewers in understanding child development and mental health and increase recognition of these issues and their presentation. Interviewers critically engaged with personal values regarding children’s rights and voice in research, reflecting that some of the stories were difficult to listen to. They were able to use and value novel methods to facilitate the ethical involvement of young children to yield rich data. Without young children’s involvement and dynamic participation in violence research, the field will not have the evidence to build best practices, respond appropriately to the needs of this vulnerable population, and interrupt the intergenerational transmission of violence that develops in these formative years. Our study adds to the burgeoning evidence that young participants are vital to the research process and are valuable active contributors to understanding violence in LMICs.

中文翻译：

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“孩子们就像随时准备吹响的呜呜祖拉”：探索如何让幼儿参与暴力研究

儿童对暴力研究的参与和融入，特别是在低收入和中等收入国家 (LMIC) 背景下，很少且未被充分理解。为了评估幼儿如何参与暴力研究，我们在南非农村地区招募了 4 至 7 岁的儿童参加我们的试点研究。从社区招募的六名访谈员接受了培训，以完成对幼儿的认知访谈（n = 24）、访谈员管理的问卷（n = 21）和定性访谈（n = 18）。与采访者进行了三场焦点小组讨论（FGD）。FGD 的调查结果和访谈表现评估强调，幼儿可以切实可行地、有意义地评价他们所经历的暴力，并在研究背景下表达他们的观点。基于艺术和游戏的方法为参与者提供了一个更容易且适合发展的交流、表达和参与平台，直接询问暴力问题是可以接受的。儿童参与的难易程度取决于他们的发展水平和访谈员的敏感性；因此，需要随着时间的推移进行强化培训和指导，以协助访谈员了解儿童发展和心理健康，并提高对这些问题及其表述的认识。采访者在研究中批判性地探讨了有关儿童权利和声音的个人价值观，反映了一些故事很难听。他们能够使用并重视新颖的方法来促进幼儿的道德参与，从而产生丰富的数据。如果没有幼儿参与和积极参与暴力研究，该领域将没有证据来建立最佳实践，对这一弱势群体的需求做出适当反应，并中断在这些成长时期形成的暴力的代际传播。我们的研究进一步证明，年轻参与者对于研究过程至关重要，并且是了解中低收入国家暴力行为的宝贵积极贡献者。