Abstract
Aim:
This study investigated children’s perception of violence as expressed through their drawings. In line with this overall objective, violence themes, properties of characters in their drawings in terms of exposure to violence, using violence and ways of violence used by the characters drawn were identified.
Method:
77 children of approximately eleven/twelve years old -47 girls (61%) and 30 boys (39%)-from a mid socio-economic elementary school participated into the study. Children were instructed to draw a picture of a person using violence or a person being exposed to violence in order to reveal their perception of violence. Then, these pictures were analysed according to their contents.
Results:
It was found that children generally expressed domestic violence in their drawings. The violent themes followed domestic violence were quarrel-fighting, mugging, gang, war and traditions. In most of the pictures, males were drawn as individuals using violence; whereas females and children were mostly depicted as the ones being exposed to violence. Physical damage was expressed more frequently.
Discussion:
Pictures drawn by children showed that children were aware of violent events in their environment. The results showed that collaboration between family, school and society was quite important for children’s psychological well-being and for the establishment of precautions against violent incidents.
Keywords: Violence, aggression, drawing, primary school
