THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON CHILDREN'S FEAR, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION LEVELS

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's fear, anxiety and depression levels.
Method: The research was conducted in a descriptive and relationship-seeking manner. From different provinces of Turkey's population of the study, participants were created to reach online survey. The sample consisted of volunteer participants who agreed to participate in the study and were not infected with COVID-19. The research was completed with 304 children. The data were collected using the Personal Information Form, “The Fear of COVID-19 Scale and the Child Depression and Anxiety Scale. The coding and evaluation of the data were done in a computer environment using SPSS 21 package program. In evaluating the data, number, mean, percentage distributions, standard deviation, Cronbach alpha coefficient and Pearson Correlation analyzes were used.
Results: It was determined that the mean total score of the participants on the depression scale was 20.81 ± 5.55, the total score average of the anxiety scale was 31.81 ± 7.60, and the total score average of the COVID-19 fear scale was 18.82 ± 5.28. It was determined that there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the anxiety and depression total score averages of the participants and the fear of COVID-19 total score averages.
Conclusion: It was found that during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, children experienced moderate levels of fear of COVID-19, depression and anxiety. In addition, it was determined that the fear of COVID-19 experienced by children was associated with their depression and anxiety levels.

Keywords

• Anxiety
• COVID-19
• child
• depression
• fear

COVID-19 PANDEMİSİNİN ÇOCUKLARIN KORKU, KAYGI VE DEPRESYON DÜZEYLERİNE ETKİSİ

Abstract

Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı, COVID-19 pandemisinin çocukların korku, kaygı ve depresyon düzeylerine etkisini belirlemektir.
Yöntem: Araştırma tanımlayıcı ve ilişki arayıcı türde yapıldı. Araştırmanın evrenini Türkiye’nin farklı illerinden online araştırma formlarına ulaşılabilecek katılımcılar oluşturdu. Örneklemi ise çalışmaya katılmayı kabul eden ve COVID-19 ile enfekte olmayan gönüllü katılımcılar oluşturdu. Araştırma 304 çocukla tamamlandı. Veriler Kişisel Bilgi Formu, “COVID-19 Korkusu Ölçeği ve Çocuklar için Depresyon ve Anksiyete Ölçeği kullanılarak toplandı. Verilerin kodlanması ve değerlendirilmesi bilgisayar ortamında SPSS 21 paket programında yapıldı. Verilerin değerlendirilmesinde; sayı, ortalama, yüzdelik dağılımlar, standart sapma, Cronbach alpha katsayısı ve Pearson Korelasyon analizleri kullanıldı.
Bulgular: Katılımcıların depresyon ölçeği toplam puan ortalamasının 20.81±5.55 olduğu, anksiyete ölçeği toplam puan ortalamasının 31.81±7.60, COVID-19 korku ölçeği toplam puan ortalamasının ise 18.82±5.28 olduğu belirlendi. Katılımcıların anksiyete ve depresyon toplam puan ortalamaları ile COVID-19 korkusu toplam puan ortalamaları arasında pozitif yönde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu belirlendi.
Sonuç: COVID-19 pandemisi döneminde çocukların orta düzeyde COVID-19 korkusu, depresyon ve anksiyete deneyimledikleri bulundu. Ayrıca çocukların yaşadıkları COVID-19 korkusunun depresyon ve anksiyete düzeyleri ile ilişkili olduğu belirlendi. 

Keywords

• anksiyete
• COVİD-19
• Çocuk
• depresyon

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