SERRALHA, Conceição Aparecida; REIS, Catharine Gonçalves de Faria    MIAREL, Amanda. Understanding death for children who experienced severe illness. Arq. bras. psicol. []. 2021, 73, 1, pp.70-86. ISSN 1809-5267.  https://doi.org/10.36482/1809-5267.ARBP2021v73i1p.70-86.

This study aimed to understand the apprehension of the concept of death in children from three to five years old. Five children from two groups participated (G1; G2). G1 was composed of two children (four and five years old) who experienced severe illness. G2 was composed of three children (three, four and five years old) who did not experience any serious illness. Playful Interview, Storytelling session and application of the Drawing-Story procedure were performed with each child. Data were qualitatively analyzed, supported by Piagetian and psychoanalytic assumptions. It was understood that all children had knowledge about death, but not all showed full understanding of it. Insufficient understanding was not related to illness, but mainly related to the death of a parental figure. It was confirmed that the apprehension of the concept of death has influence of the affective, cognitive and social development of each child.

: Concept of death; Unconscious defenses; Preschool child; Psychoanalysis; Piaget.

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