What is a Child? Exploring Conceptualization of Pakistani Adolescents About Children

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the responses of university students (late adolescents) about their conceptualization of a child, exploring the characteristics they associate with being a child. The study was conducted in two phases. In phase 1, responses to one open-ended question, what is a child? (N=75), were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. In phase 2, students (N=90) filled in an online closed-ended survey that was derived from the subthemes that emerged from the qualitative data collected in phase 1. Findings revealed multiple interconnected aspects of the conceptualization of the child, making it a complex whole. This study is helpful for understanding the concept of the child grounded in various theoretical and mythological categories that portray the complexities of existing dichotomies that often come up as interconnected in traditional societies.