Prevalence and Contributing Factors of Separation Anxiety Among Preschool Children and Their Parents

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to examine the prevalence of separation anxiety in preschool children and their parents, as well as the factors influencing it. Method: In total, 667 participants were included. Data were collected using Family APGAR, Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire, Separation Anxiety Symptom Inventory, and Preschool Anxiety Scale-Separation Anxiety Subscale. As the scale data did not have a normal distribution, non-parametric tests were employed for statistical analysis. Results: Separation anxiety symptoms were detected in 12% of children (10.5% among girls and 13.7% among boys). A significant correlation was determined between children’s separation anxiety and maternal separation anxiety, whereas no such relationship was observed with fathers. Symptoms were present in 46% of parents, with women being twice as likely to experience separation anxiety as men. While children’s separation anxiety was not related with gender, maternal separation anxiety was linked to early maternal return to work, sleeping separately from parents, eating meals independently, and having a dysfunctional family member. Parental separation anxiety was not related with age, education level, employment status, or the presence of health problems but was significantly related with gender, childhood and adolescent separation anxiety symptoms, and having a dysfunctional family member. Conclusions: Identifying the problem areas of children and parents experiencing separation anxiety during the preschool period, the present study highlights the importance of interventions targeting both children and families. The findings are expected to guide primary healthcare providers in addressing separation anxiety.

Keywords

• Primary Health Care
• Anxiety
• Separation
• Child
• Preschool

Anaokulu Çocukları ve Ebeveynlerinde Ayrılma Anksiyetesi Sıklığı ve Etkileyen Faktörler

Abstract

Amaç: Ayrılma anksiyetesi, bağlanma figüründen ayrılma veya ayrılma beklentisi durumunda kaygı duyması halidir. Çalışmamızın amacı, anaokulu çocukları ve ebeveynlerinde ayrılma anksiyetesi sıklığını ve etkileyen faktörleri araştırmaktır. Yöntem: Edirne İl Merkezi’ndeki anaokulu öğrencilerinin tamamına ulaşılması hedeflendi. 667 kişiden geri dönüş alındı. Katılımcılara kendileri ve anasınıfında okuyan çocuklarıyla ilgili sosyodemografik anket ve Aile APGAR, Yetişkin Ayrılma Anksiyetesi Anketi, Ayrılık Anksiyetesi Belirti Envanteri, Anaokulu Öğrencileri Ayrılık Kaygısı Ölçeği’nden oluşan sorular soruldu. Ölçek verileri normal dağılıma uymadığından non-parametrik testler kullanıldı. Bulgular: Çocuklarda ayrılma anksiyetesi belirtileri %12, kızlarda %10,5 erkeklerde %13,7 bulundu. Çalışmamızda çocuklarının ayrılma anksiyetesi ile annelerin ayrılma anksiyetesi arasında anlamlı ilişki saptanırken babaları ile ilişki bulunmadı. Ebeveynlerin %46’sında belirtilerin olduğu görüldü. Ayrılma anksiyetesi kadınlarda 2 kat yüksekti. Çocukların ayrılma anksiyetesi cinsiyetleri ile ilişkili bulunmazken, annede ayrılma anksiyetesi, annenin işe erken geri dönmesi, ebeveynlerinden ayrı uyuma ve ayrı yemek yiyebilme, disfonksiyonel aile üyesi olma ile ilişkiliydi. Ebeveynlerin ayrılık anksiyetesi, yaş, eğitim düzeyi, çalışma durumu, sağlık sorunları varlığı ile ilişkili bulunmazken, cinsiyet, çocukluk ve ergenlikte ayrılma anksiyetesi belirtileri, disfonksiyonel aile üyesi olma ile ilişkiliydi. Sonuç: Bu çalışma ile okul öncesi dönemde ayrılma anksiyetesi yaşayan çocukların ve ebeveynlerinin sorun alanlarını belirleyerek, çocuk ve ailesine yönelik uygulamaların öneminin vurgulanması, birinci basamakta ayrılma anksiyetesine yaklaşımda yol gösterici olması beklenmektedir.

Keywords

• Temel sağlık hizmetleri
• Anksiyete
• Ayrılık
• Çocuk
• Okul öncesi

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