Crisis Situations and Strategies for Coping with Stress in Children of Younger School Age

Abstract

Introduction: In recent years, we have witnessed chronically difficult situations that lead to disorganization of everyday life. Early school students are affected by the phenomenon of growth with a crisis in the background. The research undertaken provides information on strategies for coping nine-year-old children with a crisis situation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic. Purpose of the research: The aim of this text is to present our own research, which is an attempt to find answers to the questions: What strategies for coping with the crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic were used by nine-year-olds? How were coping strategies used in the crisis situation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic among nine-year-olds? Research method: Twenty-two nine-year-olds participated in this study. Visual ethnography was used. A qualitative analysis was made of two types of data-drawings and oral statements by the authors of the works. Results: Students used various strategies to cope with crisis situations. Six studies observed that task-oriented strategies were dominant. They included: action aimed at solving the problem, searching for information about a difficult situation and analysing solutions. In the remaining sixteen cases, the use of avoidance and emotion-focused strategies was observed interchangeably. Denial, minimizing the problem, ridiculing the source of fear, and using emotionally charged language were noted. Conclusions: In the face of the changing reality and the crises affecting mental health, the need to provide assistance in this area and to set the direction for possible support at the institutional level was noticed.