Author(s): Nuray SÄ°MSEK*, Yurdagül SELVÄ°, Neslihan GülÅ?ah Ä°ZGÄ° and Eda ALBAYRAK
Aim: This study was conducted to examine the perception and anxiety of epidemics in children during the COVID-19 Pandemic process. The population of the research consisted of ten school-age children between the ages of 8-15 in a city in Central Anatolia. Criterion sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods, was used to form the study group. The data of the study were collected within 30 days by means of semi-structured interview form and observation. The collected data were analyzed by the use of descriptive analysis.
Methots: Findings consist of three themes, seven categories and forty-five codes. These themes are determined as Covid-19, Covid-19 process and after Covid-19. The categories for these themes are presented under the headings of children's thoughts, feelings, protective measures, activities to spend time in this process, and plans for the post-process. It was determined that the participants were afraid of the Covid-19 epidemic and dying, their anxiety levels were quite high, their daily routines changed in this process and they spent a lot of time on the internet.
Conclusion: The mental health of children who are at high risk of being affected mentally during the epidemic should be supported. It is thought that making explanations about the virus and the process in a language that they can understand, preventing excessive internet use, protecting from the coronavirus infodemic and a possible secondary trauma, and creating daily routines where family members can spend quality time together will reduce the negative effects of the process.
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