Browsing by Subject "yksinäisyys varhaislapsuudessa"

The aim of this study was to find out the children’s views of loneliness. According to the research literature, loneliness is a negative psychic state. The mental condition may be due to quantitative or qualitative shortcomings in relationships. The feelings of loneliness may appear on the basis either of the lack of social relationships or quality. In childhood the social and emotional sides are seen as the same thing. Although children’s development influences their understanding of loneliness, it has been found that children under school age have developed emotions enough to understand what loneliness means. It has been suggested that the loneliness in childhood will develop through a social status. That leads to the fact that the child has less choice in friends. This affects the quality of friendships, which again leads to feelings of dissatisfaction and thus affects the feeling of loneliness. The feelings of loneliness in early childhood can have an impact on the child's development. It has been suggested that at the latest at school age they begin to show signs of depression and negative self-evaluation. The earlier the loneliness begins, the more challenging it is to intervene. The results of the research can deepen the understanding of loneliness among early childhood teachers and develop knowledge skills to prevent loneliness. 11 5-6 year old children participated in the study from one kindergarten in Helsinki. The material was collected using triangulation method, interviewing and observing children. The interview and observation were carried out in the kindergarten. Interviews were conducted as individual interviews. The observation was used to support the study, because I wanted the interview to be as natural as possible. Finally, the material was analyzed using content analysis. The results of the study were divided into three parts based on the questions and the results. In the study, three different themes related to loneliness emerged, which were related to parents and social relationships, the feeling of loneliness and the differences between lonely and being alone. Based on the results, the majority of the interviewees did not see difference between loneliness and being alone, they were the same thing. Loneliness was also associated with attachment relationships. Interviews revealed that loneliness was clearly seen as a negative emotional state. It is impossible for an outsider to know this and it requires the teachers to be present.