Fears in Early Childhood in the Views of Children and Preschool Teachers in Preschool Institutions

Abstract

Children's fears can be identified in the context of expected developmental and behavioural patterns, and they may be age-typical and functionally significant for the child's growth as they contribute to his or her independence and individualisation. However, in cases where they are long-term and destructive, children's fears can cause some complex behavioural difficulties. In order to define the types and incidence of children's fears, we conducted some qualitative micro-research in preschool institutions in Podgorica, which involved both children and preschool teachers. In order to gain a more comprehensive insight into this problem, we tried to obtain as objective and authentic answers as possible on the topic "What I am afraid of" from children in several kindergartens in Podgorica (60 children, aged 3-7). We interviewed 40 teachers (two groups of teachers from each of the two preschool institutions) and then analysed and classified the answers obtained by their similarity, into particular and unique categories. By analysing the children's drawings, we found the presence of common, age-appropriate fears. When it comes to younger children, it is evident that the number of fears in our sample is significantly higher in girls than in boys, while in older preschool children, the number of expressed fears is fairly homogeneous. So-called "learned" fears were dominant. Preschool teachers noticed and recorded some new, contextually conditioned fears, so-called "digital" fears. They pointed out that they lack the specialist skills and expert support for purposeful deconditioning of children's fears and anxiety.