November 2009     Many parents of preschoolers struggle with their children's fears of real and imaginary creatures. A new study offers some ideas on how they can better manage their children's worries.

In situations in which a child's fear was caused by real creatures, the researchers found, children would rather do something than think positive thoughts. In these situations, boys more often suggested fighting, while girls more often wanted to avoid the creature.

The study found that between ages 4 and 7, children show more understanding that people's thoughts and beliefs can both cause and reduce fear. While preschoolers tended to suggest pretending the imaginary creature was friendly, older children tended to suggest reminding themselves what the reality was. Therefore, the researchers say, preschoolers may benefit from seeing things in a more positive light ("Let's pretend the dragon is nice"), while older children may do better when they focus on what's real and what's not ("Dragons aren't real").

"These results should help parents by reminding them to keep in mind their children's age-appropriate abilities when helping them deal with their fears, particularly fears of imaginary creatures," according to the researchers.

Adapted from materials provided by Society for Research in Child Development, Nov 15, 2009. 

Society for Research in Child Development (2009, November 15). Child psychology: tips on taming the 'boogie monster'. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 17, 2009, from this link.

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