Children's nighttime fears: Ratings of content and coping behaviors

Abstract

The subjective ratings of 21 nighttime-fearful children to short phrases with nighttime-fearful content were compared with the ratings of 21 children who exhibited little or no fear at nighttime. Coping responses and parental reports of nighttime fear behavior were also compared. Overall, children reported using self-control more than the other coping categories of social support: clinging to inanimate objects; avoidance or escape — control over inanimate environment; and avoidance or escape — control over others. Fearful children reported more coping behaviors than nonfearful children. Children's reports indicated that the nighttime fear category of security — personal life, loss, or safety was the most highly feared category by all groups. Nighttime fearful children rated as more fearful the categories of imaginal-numinous, inherent characteristics, and the dark than did the non-nighttime-fearful children. The categories of security — personal life, loss, and safety; security — separation or loss of others; dreams; and neutral failed to differentiate the two groups.