ABSTRACT

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.

摘要

背景：COVID-19 大流行及其后果给许多儿童及其家人带来了压力。先前对学龄儿童的研究表明，消极的想法和担忧可以预测压力事件后的心理健康症状。到目前为止，学龄前儿童在这些调查中一直被忽视。

目的：本研究的目的是探讨学龄前儿童在 COVID-19 大流行期间的消极想法和担忧。

方法：作为一项更大的混合方法研究的一部分，N  = 399 名 3 至 5 岁学龄前儿童 ( M  = 4.41) 的看护者回答了关于他们与 COVID-19 相关的想法和担忧的开放式问题。反身主题分析用于从定性数据中识别相关主题。基于这些定性发现和现有的实证和理论文献，开发了儿童思想和忧虑的理论模型。

结果：看护者举例表明，学龄前儿童难以理解因果关系并高估了感染 COVID-19 的风险。照顾者报告说，他们的孩子表达了对生病和感染他人以及日常生活中的变化会成为永久性变化的担忧。看护者观察到他们的孩子对 COVID-19 的关注和对谈话、游戏和绘画以及行为变化的担忧——增加了唤醒、谨慎、回避和寻求依恋的行为。

结论：在 COVID-19 大流行期间，学龄前儿童可以而且确实表达了消极的想法和担忧，并且也经历了威胁和增加的脆弱性。提出了一个理论模型，可以为该领域的评估、干预和未来研究提供信息。