A Study of Conceptualisation of Quality of Life by Czech Fifth-Graders

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: This study summarized the results of research on quality of life as conceived by Czech fifth-graders. Methods: The subjects responded in writing to three tasks that asked them to describe the characteristics of quality of life. The first task required them to picture what they imagined under a magazine headline entitled “Quality of Children’s Lives”. The second task required them to explain this headline to their classmates, while the third task asked them to generate their own ideas of a bad life, normal life, and excellent life. The sample consisted of 174 fifth-grade pupils from two Czech localities. The pupils’ statements were open-coded, and then the codes were cumulated to create content categories. Results: Ten large categories emerged from the data that depicted children’s ideas of quality of life. Data processing the frequencies of the content of the categories were computed to show the ranking of the characteristics of the quality of life as selected by the children. The study revealed that the fifth-grade pupils attributed a wide range of valuable characteristics (social, psychological, environmental, spiritual and personal) to the concept of quality of life. Discussion: In pedagogical theory, the quality of children’s lives is a concept with a number of meanings. It includes qualities related to biopsycho- personal, social, and spiritual aspects of life. Limitations: The quality of children’s lives is a multidimensional concept and we can study only some of them. Conclusions: Responses to the third research question can be summarized into three key answers, illustrated by relevant statements of the Czech fifth-grade students.