Children of the Garden Island
Emily Warner’s article Children of the Garden Island is one of the most outstanding articles in its field. Emily’s study sought to find answers to two major questions. First, what are the women’s reproductive histories in the community? Secondly, what factors facilitated resilience among the children at greater risk? The researchers chose to ask these questions because, at the time, children’s exposure to psychological and biological risks was a rare occurrence. Therefore, the researchers wanted to ascertain the factors that facilitate the development of such risks. There was, therefore, a need for the researcher to “determine the long-term consequences of prenatal and perinatal development” (Werner 106). Also, they needed to keep records of all severe effects accrued to the conditions in the upbringing of children and their impact on the child’s psychological, cognitive, and physical development.
The study assumed a longitudinal approach and was conducted over a period of three decades. The data for the research was collected from human subjects since it included the observation of human character and behavior over that period the study lasted. They began the study in 1954 by analyzing the reproductive histories of women living in the community. This included studying pregnancy trends, fetal mortalities, and the total number of live births in the community. The sample size that was considered included 698 infants conceived in Kauai in 1955 (Werner 106). Their development was tracked from birth, 1, 2, 10, 18, and 31 years. It was evident that out of the 698 infants, 422 had no complications during childbirth, although the pregnancies were uneventful (Werner 106). Moreover, the study also showed that the 422 were raised in stable and families that supported them in every way.
Different approaches and methods of data collection were deployed during this study. One of the strategies used to collect data was a census in which the participants were asked whether they were pregnant or not, and if not, they were given cards to post to the health department as soon as they detect signs of pregnancy. Also, interviews were used to collect data from the participants. Pregnant women that were admitted into the study were interviewed to determine exposure to risk factors (Werner 108). Moreover, the researchers collected data from secondary sources such as reports from the police, public health, and social services, and educational agencies.
Emily’s study culminated in several findings. First, the study showed that adverse outcomes in life do not always result from risk factors. Also, it was revealed that infants who had more than one person in their lives made significant contributions that changed everything about them. Lastly, the study showed that in large families, forming strong bonds with all children is very difficult.
The environment plays an essential factor in shaping children into responsible adults. From the findings in this study, it was apparent that most children come from small families comprising of four or fewer children. This makes it possible for the children to form close bonds with their parents, care providers, and later on mentors in life. This is hard to achieve in large families. Children who have grown up and passed through the hands of several people like care providers and mentors have an advantage over those who have passed through a few hands. As a result, they develop strong relationships and ethical behavior, thereby growing up into responsible adults.