Repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on Elementary School children

ABSTRACT

Children’s mental health in the context of the pandemic needs to be carefully observed due to the emotional vulnerability of this population. This study aimed to know the emotional and behavioral issues experienced by children during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, as perceived by their parents. We sought to identify the emotional and psychological needs of school-age children, enrolled in elementary school I, aged 6 to 10 years, from two private schools in a city in Vale do Caí/RS. This is a qualitative study, whose interviews were conducted through the Google Meet platform. The data were recorded and transcribed, submitted to Bardin’s qualitative content analysis, with the aid of QRS NVivo. The results were organized into two categories: Perception of parents about children’s emotional needs; and aspects promoting of mental health for children during the period of social distancing in the COVID-19 pandemic. Children were prone to developing anxiety, among other behaviors triggered by social withdrawal, such as sadness, aggression, and fear. However, health promotion strategies, playing, outdoor strolls in green areas to which families had access, and the dialogue adopted by the parents collaborated to promote the children’s mental health.

KEYWORDS Children; Social withdrawal; COVID-19; Learning; Mental health