Duševno zdravje otrok in mladostnikov v kriznih centrih pred in po epidemiji COVID-19

Čevnik, Lea (author), Gril, Alenka (mentor)

Epidemija COVID-19 je v letu 2020 prinesla številne spremembe in izzive, s katerimi smo se soočali tako v Sloveniji kot tudi povsod po svetu, velik vpliv pa je imela tudi na duševno zdravje ljudi, predvsem otrok in mladih. V svojem diplomskem delu sem se osredotočila na problematiko porasta duševnih težav otrok, kot jo zaznavajo strokovne delavke in delavci, zaposleni v kriznih centrih za otroke in mladostnike. V teoretičnem uvodu sem predstavila, kaj je duševno zdravje, opisala sem tudi varovalne dejavnike in dejavnike tveganja. Podrobneje sem opisala nekatere najpogostejše težave v duševnem zdravju, s katerimi se soočajo mladi, to so stres, depresija in anksioznost. Na primerih do sedaj narejenih raziskav sem opisala posledice epidemije COVID-19 na duševno zdravje. Predstavila sem tudi krizne centre za otroke in mladostnike, njihovo vlogo, naloge in delo. V empiričnem delu sem predstavila kvalitativno raziskavo, ki sem jo izvedla z metodo spraševanja, podatke sem zbrala s pomočjo vnaprej pripravljenih smernic za intervju. Izvedla sem šest intervjujev, s strokovnimi delavkami in delavci, zaposlenimi v kriznih centrih za otroke in mladostnike v Sloveniji. Skozi pogovor sem ugotovila, kaj oni pri svojem opažajo o duševnem zdravju otrok in mladostnikov v povezavi z epidemijo COVID-19, kakšne izzive je epidemija prinesla v njihovo delo in obravnavo otrok in kakšne spremembe in ukrepi bi bili potrebni za učinkovitejše spoprijemanje s posledicami epidemije na duševno zdravje. Ugotovila sem, da je epidemija predvsem poglobila že obstoječe duševne stiske otrok in mladostnikov ter da otroci in mladostniki s težavami v duševnem zdravju predstavljajo pomemben izziv, ki zahteva kompleksno in celostno obravnavo ter združevanje znanja različnih strok. Epidemija COVID-19 je prav tako osvetlila tudi nove težave, kot je porast medvrstniškega nasilja in zasvojenosti z informacijsko-komunikacijsko tehnologijo pri otrocih in mladih. Pred in med epidemijo v kriznih centrih ni bilo na voljo posebnih oblik pomoči za otroke in mlade s težavami v duševnem zdravju, zato se je po epidemiji začela kazati potreba po vzpostavljanju novih oblik pomoči na področju duševnega zdravja.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: duševno zdravje mladih, krizni center za otroke in mladostnike, epidemija COVID-19, težave v duševnem zdravju
• Work type: Bachelor thesis/paper
• Organization: FSD - Faculty of Social Work
• Year: 2024
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-160114
• Publication date in RUL: 21.08.2024

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Crisis Centers Before and After the COVID-19 Epidemic

Abstract

In 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic brought many changes and challenges that we faced both in Slovenia and all over the world, and it also had a great impact on the mental health of people, especially children and young people. In my graduation thesis, I focused on the issue of the increase in children's mental problems as perceived by professionals working in crisis centers for children and adolescents. In the theoretical introduction, I presented what mental health is, I also described protective factors and risk factors. I have described in more detail some of the most common mental health problems that young people face, i.e. stress, depression and anxiety. I described the consequences of the COVID-19 epidemic on mental health using the examples of research done so far. I also presented crisis centers for children and adolescents, their role, tasks and work. In the empirical part, I present a qualitative research, where I used the questioning method, and I collected the data using pre-prepared interview guidelines. I conducted six interviews with professional workers employed in crisis centers for children and adolescents in Slovenia. Through the conversation, I found out what they observe in their work with children and adolescents in terms of their mental health, in connection with the COVID-19 epidemic, what challenges the epidemic has brought to their work and treatment of children, and what changes and measures would be necessary to cope more effectively with the consequences of the epidemic in relation to mental health. I found that the epidemic mainly deepened the already existing mental health issues of children and adolescents and that children and adolescents with mental health problems represent an important challenge that requires complex and integrated treatment and combining knowledge from different disciplines. The COVID-19 epidemic has also shed light on new problems, such as the increase in peer violence and addiction to information and communication technology among children and young people. Before and during the epidemic, special forms of help for children and young people with mental health problems were not available in the crisis centers, so after the epidemic, the need to establish new forms of help in the field of mental health began to appear.

• Keywords: youth mental health, Crisis Centers for children and adolescents, Covid-19 epidemic, mental health issues