FATİH GÜNAY FİLİZ ŞİMŞEK ORHON NİSA EDA ÇULLAS İLARSLAN
Current Research and Reviews in Psychology and Psychiatry - 2023;3(1):27-45
During COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown and restraint measures caused an increase in various mental problems including anxiety, depression and addictions in adults. The aims of this study are to evaluate the awareness level of the parents who applied to our hospital during the pandemic, to determine the state and trait anxiety levels of the parents and to investigate the factors affecting parental anxiety. Two hundred and seventy children and their parents (172 mothers, 98 fathers) participated in our study. It was reported that hand washing was the most frequently used protection method against virus. Television was found the most frequently used news source. 61.5% of parents reported that the possibility of their child getting sick due to coronavirus is the situation that worries them the most. The fathers’ State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) scores and the mothers’ Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI) scores were significantly higher than the other parents. A strong positive correlation was found between the participants’ SAI and TAI scores. It has been determined that the news source, the reason for bringing the children to the hospital, the illness of the person aged >65, a decrease in the income level, the presence of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 in the family, and the coronavirus measures are the factors affecting parental anxiety. During the pandemic, psychosocial evaluation of parents and their children who applied to health institutions and taking measures for anxiety disorder are important for parent and child mental health.
