COVID-19 unmasked: preschool children’s negative thoughts and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences are stressful for many children and their families. Previous research with school-aged children has shown that negative thoughts and worries can predict mental health symptoms following stressful events. So far preschool children have been negle...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1924442 |
| _version_ | 1797844516840931328 |
|---|---|
| author | Mira Vasileva Eva Alisic Alex De Young |
| author_facet | Mira Vasileva Eva Alisic Alex De Young |
| author_sort | Mira Vasileva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences are stressful for many children and their families. Previous research with school-aged children has shown that negative thoughts and worries can predict mental health symptoms following stressful events. So far preschool children have been neglected in these investigations. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore negative thoughts and worries that preschool aged children are having during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: As part of a larger mixed-method study, caregivers of N = 399 preschoolers aged between 3 and 5 years (M = 4.41) answered open-ended questions about their COVID-19 related thoughts and worries. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify relevant themes from the qualitative data. A theoretical model of child thoughts and worries was developed based on these qualitative findings and the existing empirical and theoretical literature. Results: Caregivers gave examples that indicated that preschoolers had difficulties understanding causality and overestimated the risk of COVID-19 infection. Caregivers reported that their children expressed worries about getting sick and infecting others as well as about changes in daily life becoming permanent. Caregivers observed their children’s preoccupation with COVID-19 and worries in conversations, play and drawings as well as in behavioural changes – increased arousal, cautiousness, avoidance and attachment-seeking behaviour. Conclusion: Preschool children can and do express negative thoughts and worries and have also experienced threat and increased vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic. A theoretical model is proposed that could inform assessments, interventions and future research in the field. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-47bc3a23a8b243cb80a6e009f228ac23 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-47bc3a23a8b243cb80a6e009f228ac232023-04-18T14:59:09ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662021-01-0112110.1080/20008198.2021.19244421924442COVID-19 unmasked: preschool children’s negative thoughts and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic in AustraliaMira Vasileva0Eva Alisic1Alex De Young2University of MelbourneUniversity of MelbourneChildren’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service & Child Health Research CentreBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences are stressful for many children and their families. Previous research with school-aged children has shown that negative thoughts and worries can predict mental health symptoms following stressful events. So far preschool children have been neglected in these investigations. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore negative thoughts and worries that preschool aged children are having during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: As part of a larger mixed-method study, caregivers of N = 399 preschoolers aged between 3 and 5 years (M = 4.41) answered open-ended questions about their COVID-19 related thoughts and worries. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify relevant themes from the qualitative data. A theoretical model of child thoughts and worries was developed based on these qualitative findings and the existing empirical and theoretical literature. Results: Caregivers gave examples that indicated that preschoolers had difficulties understanding causality and overestimated the risk of COVID-19 infection. Caregivers reported that their children expressed worries about getting sick and infecting others as well as about changes in daily life becoming permanent. Caregivers observed their children’s preoccupation with COVID-19 and worries in conversations, play and drawings as well as in behavioural changes – increased arousal, cautiousness, avoidance and attachment-seeking behaviour. Conclusion: Preschool children can and do express negative thoughts and worries and have also experienced threat and increased vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic. A theoretical model is proposed that could inform assessments, interventions and future research in the field.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1924442preschoolcovid-19worriesnegative thoughtsqualitative |
| spellingShingle | Mira Vasileva Eva Alisic Alex De Young COVID-19 unmasked: preschool children’s negative thoughts and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia European Journal of Psychotraumatology preschool covid-19 worries negative thoughts qualitative |
| title | COVID-19 unmasked: preschool children’s negative thoughts and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia |
| title_full | COVID-19 unmasked: preschool children’s negative thoughts and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 unmasked: preschool children’s negative thoughts and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 unmasked: preschool children’s negative thoughts and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia |
| title_short | COVID-19 unmasked: preschool children’s negative thoughts and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia |
| title_sort | covid 19 unmasked preschool children s negative thoughts and worries during the covid 19 pandemic in australia |
| topic | preschool covid-19 worries negative thoughts qualitative |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1924442 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT miravasileva covid19unmaskedpreschoolchildrensnegativethoughtsandworriesduringthecovid19pandemicinaustralia AT evaalisic covid19unmaskedpreschoolchildrensnegativethoughtsandworriesduringthecovid19pandemicinaustralia AT alexdeyoung covid19unmaskedpreschoolchildrensnegativethoughtsandworriesduringthecovid19pandemicinaustralia |