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.