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.

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