Keywords
concept of death
childhood
developmental psychology
thanatopsychology
fear of death
anxiety
death anxiety
Abstract
Introduction. Already at an early age a child learns what death is, faces the fact of his or her own mortality and the mortality of loved ones. The death anxiety caused by the realization of one's own mortality affects the mental and psychological well-being of the individual. Discussion of death contributes to its understanding - for this purpose, programs of death education are created. To work effectively with the topic of death in children and adolescents, it is important to know the age norms for the development of the concept of death. The concept of death is an understanding of death, awareness of its main characteristics, described through a number of components (universality, irreversibility, non-functionality/cessation and causality). Theoretical rationale. The conceptualization of death is influenced by various factors: age, cognitive and intellectual characteristics, culture, family, religion, and media. The maturity of the concept of death is achieved through the development of its components, which leads to the formation of a natural-scientific understanding of death. Discussion. Age is one of the leading factors for the formation of the concept of death. For children under 3 years of age the understanding of death is practically inaccessible: the absence of a parent is perceived as his death, emotional reactions to the loss are formed. From 3 to 6 years of age, understanding of individual components of the concept of death develops actively, but unevenly. Children begin to describe death as a biological phenomenon, fear of death arises. From ages 6 to 9, most develop a relatively mature understanding of death, but biological ideas coexist with supernatural ones. Children 9-11 years old think about death abstractly, are interested in religion, the concept of death becomes "fuzzy". Understanding of the irreversibility of death deteriorates. Fear of death decreases by adolescence. Adolescents rarely talk about death, but may ask questions when they do. Belief in their uniqueness, immortality is revealed; interest in death increases, religious knowledge is replaced by atheistic knowledge. Understanding the age specifics of the formation of the concept of death will help to make programs of work with children and adolescents in the framework of the theme of death.
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