Framing mortality: Preschoolers' views on death through photovoice.

Abstract

This study explored preschool-aged children's perceptions of death using the Photovoice method. Thirteen 5-year-old children from two Greek kindergartens took photographs representing "something no longer alive" and participated in semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed four main themes: biological needs and functionalities, the soul in defining death, the causality dimension, and spiritual/religious aspects of understanding death. Findings indicate that preschoolers demonstrate a nascent understanding of death's biological dimensions, including cessation of bodily functions and irreversibility. However, comprehension varied and was influenced by personal experiences and cultural-religious beliefs. Some participants showed a more advanced understanding of death causality than previously documented for this age group. The study highlights the potential of using concrete and visual methods to explore young children's conceptualization of death and emphasizes the need for age-appropriate education on life and death.