How are Children Researched and Represented? A Systematic Review of Three EI/ECSE Journals

How are children researched and represented in the literature on early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE)? Utilizing DisCrit and Disabled Childhood Studies as analytical frameworks, we addressed this question through a multi-stage systematic review of the three selected EI/ECSE-focused journals from 2015 to 2023. A total of 136 articles were reviewed, including 32,987 children under the age of 6. Our findings, based on reported sociodemographic characteristics, indicate that the prevalent image of the published child is that of a White, male, monolingual English speaker and a non-disabled or child labeled with autism. Analysis of participant characteristics in studies that reported race/ethnicity and gender revealed an overrepresentation of boys, Black, and multiracial children. Furthermore, 95% of the studies employed a quantitative research design, including single-case designs, which signals the devaluation and underutilization of qualitative and mixed-methods research. Understanding how children are studied in EI/ECSE is crucial, as journals and researchers serving as epistemological gatekeepers may create distorted cumulative knowledge about children, affecting practices and policies. Our review also enabled us to document the cyclical, interconnected nature of deficit-based epistemic frameworks, which influence what is perceived as problematic and subject to intervention. We advocate for action throughout the research-to-practice and research-to-policy pipelines, urging the EI/ECSE field to promote the equitable and dignified development of cumulative evidence regarding children’s learning, development, and participation in research.