Investigation of Signs of Emotional Abuse and Neglect of Children With Chronic Diseases: the Drawing Method

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the emotional abuse and neglect (EAN) signs of children with chronic diseases who were hospitalized due to medical symptoms. The research was conducted using the projective drawing method based on the descriptive research model. Participants were 62 children aged 7–12 years old with any diagnosed chronic disease who were hospitalized in the pediatric clinic for three months and their parents. Data were collected with a descriptive information form and the drawing technique that was applied to the children, who were asked to draw figures about themes like “mother,” “father,” and “illness.” The analysis of qualitative data suggested that 59.6% of the children might have symptoms of EAN and that the vast majority (93.5%) of the drawings reflected mother figures. It is recommended that pediatric nurses use the drawing method to communicate with children in the clinic. © 2025 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.