From Parenthood to PhD
In 2009 my daughter was born and shortly after I was told she may have Down syndrome. At that moment we began a journey together to understand what this ‘Down syndrome’ might mean for us, and how our lives would change. I don’t think I was expecting one of those changes to be a PhD.
My research focuses on the development of a specific cognitive skill (Theory of Mind) in children with Down syndrome. I am currently working with 40 participants aged between 2 and 9 years to collect cross sectional data which will allow both qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Investigating a topic which is so close to one’s own experience necessitates a particular emphasis on ethics and professional identity. Over the course of my research I have had to address questions of bias and conflicts of interest; my preconceived ideas of what I might find, the separation of my personal and professional self and consideration of what I might feel, as a parent, about my findings.
However, I am following a well trodden path, not least by Piaget who based much of his work on his own children. More recently Jonathan Rix and Sue Buckley, each parents of a child with Down syndrome, have contributed hugely to the research field. And the benefits may outweigh the intrinsic difficulties; my rich personal experience has led me to design tasks specific to my participants, enabling us to gather a detailed picture of how and when their Theory of Mind develops.