In my graduation thesis, I researched the problem of social isolation of pupils of the third triad of primary school during the COVID-19 epidemic. In the theoretical part, I initially described the main characteristics of COVID-19 and the changes it caused in everyday life. I described the concept of distance education, its advantages and disadvantages, and changes in family routines. Later on, I reviewed the impact of the epidemic on children’s mental health. I described the signs of children's distress and listed the forms of help. I concluded the theoretical part with a chapter on the safe use of screens. Throughout the theoretical part, I mostly focused on recent articles and research in the field of the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on children, as the topic is still very current and unexplored. In the empirical part, I presented the methodology and the results. The research I conducted is quantitative and descriptive. I used a structured survey questionnaire as a measurement instrument. The population is represented by all pupils of the regular educational program of primary school in Slovenia, who in the school year 2020/2021 attended the third triad and have received distance education in the last year. The sample is non-random and convenient, with sixty-eight people participating. I have found that the COVID-19 epidemic, distance education and other emergency measures have affected the general well-being and mental health of children. They were deprived of everyday social contacts, which are important for the healthy psychosocial development of an individual. To some extent, everyone maintained social contacts using screens (telephones, social networks, applications, etc.). Socializing and online education have increased individuals’ time spent in front of screens, above that, children have also spent a lot of their free time in front of screens. The majority of pupils experienced mild distress, and some also moderate and severe. Some children tried to overcome the distress on their own, while others turned to their loved ones - most often family members. In addition to giving help and support in distress, relationships with family members offer children a sense of acceptance and security. Relationships with peers are more often a source of relaxation and fun and offer them a place where similar opinions, interests and values are shared. The majority of pupils of the third triad do not want distance education in the future, mainly due to the lack of social contacts and the quality of teaching. It is imperative to be aware that the epidemic has left many consequences, and the mental health of children must be more important than the amount of the acquired knowledge when returning to school.
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