Abstract

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown This single-participant case study focused on a typically developing five-year-old girl, Aylin (name anonymized). Aylin was observed for nine months at her kindergarten since her enrollment week to investigate her social interaction experiences, emotion regulation processes, and expressive language skills. Tavistock Child Observation Model, videography, and semi-structured interviews were employed as research tools, while a demographic form and HAVAS 5 (Hamburg Screening for Five-Year Old Children) were used for data collection. The findings indicate that Aylin experienced various types of anxiety and stress, especially during the adjustment week and the following months. Aylin was seen trying to cope with the difficulties caused by the separation from her parents; she made intense efforts to adapt to the new environment. She exhibited an intense desire to interact with her peers and experience feelings of togetherness and belonging and developed varied strategies to achieve her goals. Findings revealed that Aylin played in harmony with her peers and displayed more extroversion when she experienced a sense of togetherness, connectedness, and belonging. The semi-structured interviews with parents revealed that Aylin was subjected to quarantine for a year as part of the COVID-19 preventive measures from the age of two and a half. She had to spend her daily life at home, being deprived of peer interactions and physical activities. The father’s interaction with the child was limited because of his busy work life; the mother also reported difficulty allocating quality time to the child.