Twenty-five years of developmental and child psychology in Ireland: An analysis of PsycLit and ERIC data bases

Abstract

The paper presents an overview of publications during the past twenty-five years in the area of child psychology and child and adult development by researchers based in Irish institutions or using an Irish sample. Papers were identified through searches of the PsycLit and ERIC electronic data bases. In the period since 1974 there were over 300 publications with the majority appearing in the last ten years. The paper identifies the changing trends over time in publications in the areas of social functioning, cognition, clinical issues, education, measurement and public policy. The leading area of research is children's social functioning and there is evidence of a growing interest in applied social issues. Almost all empirical research involved samples of school age children with very limited attention to infancy, adulthood and aging. While most authors clearly intended their focus on children to reflect an interest in developmental processes, very few of the studies used traditional developmental designs or nationally representative samples. The authors conclude that a nationally representative longitudinal study will contribute to our understanding of development in the context of rapid social change in Ireland.