Defining emotional determinants of primary school children

Djeca predstavljaju osjetljivu skupinu te postoji velik broj poremećaja koji se pojavljuju u dječjoj dobi. Djeca su ovisna o utjecajima okoline, prije svega roditelja, škole i prijatelja. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati odrednice mentalnog zdravlja djece viših razreda osnovne škole. Na uzorku od 215 sudionika, učenika viših razreda jedne zagrebačke osnovne škole, prikupljeni su podaci o razini općih psihopatoloških poteškoća (YP-CORE, Connell i Barkham, 2007), anksioznosti kao osobine ličnosti (STAI-C, Spielberger i sur., 1999), te podaci o prosjeku ocjena, zadovoljstva sobom kao učenikom, te izvorima stresa. Prvi problem istraživanja bio je provjeriti razlikuju li se dječaci i djevojčice u razini izraženosti psihopatoloških poteškoća, dok se u okviru drugog problema ispitao doprinos sociodemografskih i drugih relevantnih varijabli u objašnjavanju mentalnog zdravlja osnovnoškolaca. Rezultati provedenog istraživanja nisu ukazala na statistički značajne razlike u izraženosti psihopatoloških poteškoća između djevojčica i dječaka. Djeca koja pohađaju više razrede, imaju izraženiju anksioznost kao osobinu, imaju niži prosjek ocjena, procjenjuju da su im prijatelji i škola veći izvor stresa te izvješćuju o manjem zadovoljstvu sobom kao učenikom su djeca koja imaju narušenije mentalno zdravlje Raspravljena su ograničenja istraživanja i praktične implikacije.Children represent a vulnerable group and there is a large number of disorders that appear in childhood. Children depend on external influences, especially from parents, school and friends. The aim of this study was to examine determinants of children’s mental health in senior/higher classes of elementary school. In a sample of 215 participants, who were students in senior/higher classes a Zagreb elementary school, data were collected on the level of general psychopathological problems (YP-CORE, Connell and Barkham, 2007), anxiety as a personality trait (STAI-C, Spielberger et al., 1999) and data on the average academic score, satisfaction with oneself as a student, and the sources of stress. Chi-square test examined the differences between boys and girls in the level of general psychopathological problems. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to examine the contribution of sociodemographic and other relevant variables in explaining the mental health of primary school. Results of this study showed that boys and girls do not differ in the level of general psychopathological problems. It also showed that children who attend higher classes and have more pronounced anxiety as a trait, have lower average academic score, estimate that their friends and school are more a source of stress and report a lower satisfaction of oneself as a student are children with more mental health deficiencies. Limitations of this research and practical implications are discussed