What Do Preschool Children in India Understand About Death?: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Most people avoid talking about death with children even when required, as they are unsure at what age children start understanding the concept of death. Although this question has been researched in the west, it has not been answered in the Indian context. Therefore, this study was conducted in India with 25 children (14 females, 11 males; 3–5 years), using play and joint story construction method, along with semistructured interviews. Results indicated that majority of the children understood that everyone has to die, including significant people like their own parents (i.e., universality) and also, many children understood that death is final (i.e., irreversibility). However, only few children understood that all cognitive/behavioral functions cease at death (i.e., nonfunctionality). In conclusion, only a small proportion of preschoolers seems to have had a mature concept of death.

Teaching death in Türkiye: The theme of death in illustrated children s books

“…Although it is claimed that proper understanding of verbal expressions and pictures about death in children's books help to teach the child about death (Wiseman, 2013), researchers note that even when death is clearly explained in appropriate language, there can be problems with comprehension. For example, (Agrawal, 2019) found that only a small proportion of preschool children can perceive the concept of death according to the steps indicated in the literature, but even though they are five years old, the majority of children have only three steps in understanding the concept of death (universality, irreversibility, nonfunctionality). Panagiotaki et al (2015) also found that children as young as four years old can grasp the basic features of death.…”

“…Death, which dissolves all human bonds built during life, is a frightening concept for many people. Therefore, the question of whether it is right to explain this concept to children, and if so, in what contexts and with what expressions, is a very important question for adults (Agrawal, 2019). Talking to children about death has been a source of concern for the past 200 years.…”

Uplifting and Uncanny Conversations Around Death and Dying: Qualitative Study Among Indian Adolescents and Emerging Adults

“…Finally in the theoretical review section study discusses two philosophical doctrines that serve best as a guideline to discern more on the topic. Literature identified the topic of death is bound predominantly to rituals and spirituality in India (Agrawal, 2021). While death was a topic in one way or another until the last few decades with modernization even, that has declined drastically.…”