Evaluation of Children's Anxiety During the Pandemic Based on Their Drawings

Abstract

The coronavirus outbreak which emerged in late 2019 and originated in Wuhan and spread all over the world, was declared by the World Health Organization as a pandemic in 2020. During the pandemic the increasing number of infected and dying individuals, negative reflections in the media and news, unemployment and decreasing income have had negative effects on the mental health of individuals, and this increased their anxiety levels. It is seen that children are as negatively affected by the pandemic as adults. The aim of the study is to reveal the level of anxiety of children during the pandemic, how they experience this anxiety, the main factors that increase their anxiety and their level of knowledge about the coronavirus. For this purpose, a qualitative study was conducted with nine primary school students using the drawing technique and semi-structured online interview method. The pictures drawn by the children were analyzed by using document analysis, and the transcripts of the interviews by descriptive analysis method. As a result of the research, it was revealed that children had limited knowledge about the coronavirus, their fears and anxiety were high, and they also experienced different negative emotions such as anger, sadness, and restriction. The findings were discussed within the scope of the relevant literature, and in this context, suggestions were made for future research and applications.

Keywords

• Pandemic
• Covid-19
• Anxiety in Children
• Picture Evaluation

Pandemi Sürecinde Çocukların Kaygı Durumlarının Çizimleri Üzerinden Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

2019 yılının sonlarında Wuhan'da ortaya çıkan ve tüm dünyaya yayılan koronavirüs salgını, 2020 yılında Dünya Sağlık Örgütü tarafından pandemic olarak ilan edilmiştir. Pandemi sırasında enfekte olan ve ölen birey sayısının artması, medyadaki olumsuz yansımalar ve haberler, işsizlik ve azalan gelir; bireylerin ruh sağlığını olumsuz etkilemekte ve kaygı düzeylerini artırmaktadır. Çocukların da salgından yetişkinler kadar olumsuz etkilendiği görülmektedir. Çalışmanın amacı, çocukların pandemi dönemindeki kaygı düzeylerini, bu kaygıyı nasıl yaşadıklarını, kaygılarını artıran başlıca faktörleri ve koronavirüs hakkındaki bilgi düzeylerini ortaya koymaktır. Bu amaçla dokuz ilkokul öğrencisiyle resim çizme tekniği ve yarı-yapılandırılmış çevrimiçi görüşme yöntemi kullanılarak nitel bir araştırma yapılmıştır. Çocukların çizdikleri resimler doküman incelemesiyle, görüşme dökümleri ise betimsel analiz yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda çocukların koronavirüs hakkında sınırlı düzeyde bilgi sahibi oldukları, korku ve kaygılarının yüksek olduğu, ayrıca öfke, üzüntü, kısıtlanmışlık gibi farklı olumsuz duygular da yaşadıkları ortaya çıkmıştır. Elde edilen bulgular ilgili literatür kapsamında tartışılmış ve bu bağlamda ileride yapılacak araştırma ve uygulamalar için önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

Keywords

• Pandemi
• Covid-19
• Çocuklarda Kaygı
• Resim Değerledirme

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