The present paper aimed to assess the growth of developmental psychology as a research field in Brazil. Forty papers, published by two leading Brazilian psychology journals between 1991 and 2000, were analyzed. This analysis consisted of an examination of authorship, methodological aspects, and the use of references. The results indicated the prevalence of empirical papers, studies with children and adolescents, and the use of descriptive statistical techniques. Most of the research was conducted in the state of São Paulo and by researchers from federal and state universities. A comparison of the first and second halves of the decade showed a significant increase in the proportion of recent references as well as references to books and chapters. The results are discussed within the Brazilian context of the advances in research in the field of developmental psychology.
Developmental psychology; Scientometrics; Scientific publications; Journal articles