Explaining the concept of death from the perspective of children aged 4 to 8: A descriptive phenomenological study

Abstract

Introduction: Background: A significant portion of children's imaginative thoughts is focused on the death of their parents and the fear of losing their loved ones. The fact is that an answer must be provided according to the child's perceptual complexities to prevent any harm in the process of their psychological development. Therefore, this descriptive phenomenological study aimed to investigate the concept of death in the perceptions of children aged 4 to 8 years. Methods: This study employed a qualitative descriptive phenomenology. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The research population included all children aged 4 to 8 years in Tehran in 2018 who somehow experienced the concept of death including the death of animals, a loved one, and participation in funerals or mourning ceremonies. The research sample consisted of 20 children who were selected via purposive sampling for the interviews. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. Results: The results of the study showed that the children’s attitudes towards the concept of death could be classified into three main contents including “irreversibility”, “universality”, and “loss of vital functions”. Conclusion: Given the population of children participating in this study and the correspondence of their responses to existing theories including Piaget's theory of cognitive development, it seems that the phenomenon of death was conceptualized and perceived by Iranian children in three components including “irreversibility”, “universality”, and “loss of vital functions”, and children at a younger age have access to concepts related to the three components.