Monsters in the dark and other scary things: preschoolers' self-reports

Abstract

Objective: This study attempted to obtain normative data regarding the content and frequency of expressed fears of a culturally diverse group of 152 South African preschool children (aged 5–7 years).

Method: The study employed four measuring instruments: a biographical questionnaire, the Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test, and individual drawings of feared objects by participants in conjunction with semi-structured interviews. The data analysis included descriptive statistics based on the themes that emerged from the children's drawings and interviews.

Results: Fear of animals was the most commonly expressed fear. Other high-frequency fear categories that emerged were fear of the dark, night and bad dreams; fantasy people; real people; and physical harm. For the group as a whole, the results largely support the existing body of literature. Participants expressed between one and nine fears (f = 429; mean = 2.8).

Conclusions: This study contributed to a better understanding of both an under-researched psychological phenomenon, fear, and of an under-researched target group of young children. This knowledge is important in order for significant others, such as parents and caregivers, to understand and effectively mediate potentially stressful experiences of young children in their respective capacities.