Children’s Participation in Decision Making: A Bibliometric Analysis

Background: Children’s participation in decision-making is a crucial aspect of their development, yet its level and impact, particularly in healthcare and family settings, remain underexplored. Understanding the dynamics and scope of this participation is essential for informing policies and practices that promote child agency and empowerment. This study aims to map the research on children’s participation in decision-making, identifying key trends, influential contributors, and conceptual developments within literature. Methods: This bibliometric analysis examines publications on children's participation in decision-making from 2014 to 2025. A systematic search was conducted in Scopus using keywords such as "children’s participation," "decision-making," and "child agency." The analysis employed VOSviewer and the Bibliometrix R-package to identify key research trends, influential authors, and the intellectual and conceptual structures within the literature. Results: Research on children’s participation in decision-making has increased significantly, particularly from 2014 to 2025. The findings reveal a significant growth in research activity over the past decade. Four major thematic areas emerged: children's participation in healthcare decisions, family dynamics and shared decision-making, educational involvement, and emerging discussions around children's rights, consent, and protection. While co-citation and co-authorship analyses highlight a core group of influential scholars and journals, the literature also indicates limited methodological diversity and a need for more interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives. Conclusion: The growing body of literature underscores the importance of children’s involvement in decision-making processes across various contexts. Future research should address gaps in understanding the mechanisms of child agency and explore interventions that foster more inclusive decision-making practices in diverse settings.