Scoping Review of Methodologies and Topics in Social Science Research on Children’s Sexuality 2000–2024

Abstract

The conjunction between Childhood and Sexuality in Social Science research constitutes a rather peculiar topic. While it can be traced back to early twentieth century, it was not until the 1970s and 80s that it became a consolidated topic. While different types of review exist in specific sub-fields of Children’s Sexuality research, no one has yet attempted to examine the trends of the field as a whole. As a result, we are left with a fragmented view of it that limits the identification of much-needed perspectives and topics. Therefore, conducting a review aimed at understanding the main characteristics of this research field—i.e. topic trends and methodological approaches—to assess its overall health, becomes urgent. Via a scoping review, we find that publications in the field have grown since the turn of the century but remain concentrated in topics that prioritize adult’s perspectives over children’s realities. Additionally, they are primarily based on survey and discursive methodologies, while ethnographic and observational methods are largely overlooked. Therefore, we conclude that while the research field is in good health in terms of publication volume, it is both important and urgent to address these limitations.