Investigating Children’s Ability to Express Internal States through Narratives and Drawings: Two Longitudinal Studies during Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic emergency has challenged children’s socio-affective and cognitive development. It is essential to capture the modulation of their emotional experience through ecological and children-friendly tasks, such as written narratives and drawings. This contribution investigates the imp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Children |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/8/1165 |
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| author | Giulia Vettori Costanza Ruffini Martina Andreini Ginevra Megli Emilia Fabbri Irene Labate Sara Bianchi Chiara Pecini |
| author_facet | Giulia Vettori Costanza Ruffini Martina Andreini Ginevra Megli Emilia Fabbri Irene Labate Sara Bianchi Chiara Pecini |
| author_sort | Giulia Vettori |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic emergency has challenged children’s socio-affective and cognitive development. It is essential to capture the modulation of their emotional experience through ecological and children-friendly tasks, such as written narratives and drawings. This contribution investigates the impact of pandemic experience (2020–2021 waves) on the internal states and emotions of the primary school age children, according to a longitudinal research approach through narratives (study 1 <i>n</i> = 21) and drawing tasks (study 2 <i>n</i> = 117). 138 Italian children were examined during COVID-19 three (study 1) or two waves (study 2). Children’s written narratives were codified on the basis of narrative competence and psychological lexicon. Children’s drawings were codified based on social/emotional, physical, and environmental elements. Results of narrative texts showed a lower psychological lexicon relating to positive emotions and a greater psychological lexicon relating to negative emotions only in the study sample group during the first lockdown compared to the previous and subsequent periods. Children’s drawings of themselves showed a decrease of negative emotions during the third pandemic wave in comparison to the first pandemic wave. Results inform mental health services, school practitioners, and parents about the importance of written narratives and drawings for promoting well-being in the developmental age. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:35:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7393887b43814bc9a71953664f7e4ba1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:35:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-7393887b43814bc9a71953664f7e4ba12023-12-03T13:28:20ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672022-08-0198116510.3390/children9081165Investigating Children’s Ability to Express Internal States through Narratives and Drawings: Two Longitudinal Studies during PandemicGiulia Vettori0Costanza Ruffini1Martina Andreini2Ginevra Megli3Emilia Fabbri4Irene Labate5Sara Bianchi6Chiara Pecini7Department of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, 12 Via di San Salvi, Building 26 (Psychology Section), 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, 12 Via di San Salvi, Building 26 (Psychology Section), 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, 12 Via di San Salvi, Building 26 (Psychology Section), 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, 12 Via di San Salvi, Building 26 (Psychology Section), 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, 12 Via di San Salvi, Building 26 (Psychology Section), 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, 12 Via di San Salvi, Building 26 (Psychology Section), 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, 12 Via di San Salvi, Building 26 (Psychology Section), 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Education, Languages, Intercultures, Literatures and Psychology, University of Florence, 12 Via di San Salvi, Building 26 (Psychology Section), 50135 Florence, ItalyThe COVID-19 pandemic emergency has challenged children’s socio-affective and cognitive development. It is essential to capture the modulation of their emotional experience through ecological and children-friendly tasks, such as written narratives and drawings. This contribution investigates the impact of pandemic experience (2020–2021 waves) on the internal states and emotions of the primary school age children, according to a longitudinal research approach through narratives (study 1 <i>n</i> = 21) and drawing tasks (study 2 <i>n</i> = 117). 138 Italian children were examined during COVID-19 three (study 1) or two waves (study 2). Children’s written narratives were codified on the basis of narrative competence and psychological lexicon. Children’s drawings were codified based on social/emotional, physical, and environmental elements. Results of narrative texts showed a lower psychological lexicon relating to positive emotions and a greater psychological lexicon relating to negative emotions only in the study sample group during the first lockdown compared to the previous and subsequent periods. Children’s drawings of themselves showed a decrease of negative emotions during the third pandemic wave in comparison to the first pandemic wave. Results inform mental health services, school practitioners, and parents about the importance of written narratives and drawings for promoting well-being in the developmental age.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/8/1165narrativesdrawingpsychological lexiconemotionsprimary school childrenpandemic |
| spellingShingle | Giulia Vettori Costanza Ruffini Martina Andreini Ginevra Megli Emilia Fabbri Irene Labate Sara Bianchi Chiara Pecini Investigating Children’s Ability to Express Internal States through Narratives and Drawings: Two Longitudinal Studies during Pandemic Children narratives drawing psychological lexicon emotions primary school children pandemic |
| title | Investigating Children’s Ability to Express Internal States through Narratives and Drawings: Two Longitudinal Studies during Pandemic |
| title_full | Investigating Children’s Ability to Express Internal States through Narratives and Drawings: Two Longitudinal Studies during Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Investigating Children’s Ability to Express Internal States through Narratives and Drawings: Two Longitudinal Studies during Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating Children’s Ability to Express Internal States through Narratives and Drawings: Two Longitudinal Studies during Pandemic |
| title_short | Investigating Children’s Ability to Express Internal States through Narratives and Drawings: Two Longitudinal Studies during Pandemic |
| title_sort | investigating children s ability to express internal states through narratives and drawings two longitudinal studies during pandemic |
| topic | narratives drawing psychological lexicon emotions primary school children pandemic |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/8/1165 |
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