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- Posted: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 03:07:42 +0000
Imaginary Friends
We all know of a time when we where kids, and you, yourself, or a friend, or neighbor, or even a family member had an imaginary friend. Many parents ask if its bad or uncommon for their children to have imaginary friends. Now, Im really, really lazy, and Ive quoted some articles and paragraphs telling that imaginary friends are common among small children, and always tend to go away before an older age, like around 10 or so.
But, do you think its okay for a child to have a friend? What if it grows into a problem and the child blames every irresponsible action on the friend, instead of themselves? Or what if the friend never goes away, ever, and they are assumed crazy when theyre older, say about 20 or so?
Id think it is fine for a kid to have an imaginary friend. Just let them be kids! I, myself sort of have an imaginary friend. :fwee: Sometimes, I talk to my cat, and pretend that he can talk back. Of course, Im usually home alone, sick, and bored while this happens. ninja
URL for article above: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/expert/556551.html
Imaginary Friends Common Among Older Children
Having an Imaginary Friend Is Normal for Preschool and School-Age Children
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Dec. 8, 2004 - Nearly two-thirds of children have had an imaginary friend by the time they reach age 7, and new research suggests that children don't tend to give up these imaginary playmates as soon as previously thought.
Although researchers have long suspected that preschool children give up their imaginary friends once they start school, their study showed that school-age children play with imaginary friends just as much as preschoolers.
They found 31% of school-age children said they were playing with an imaginary friend compared with 28% of preschoolers.
"Imaginary companions have had a bad rap from psychologists for a long time, and there was the perception that parents were getting the message that having an imaginary companion wasn't healthy," says researcher Stephanie Carlson, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington, in a news release. "But this study shows that nearly two-thirds of children have them, and the striking fact is that children of all personality styles have imaginary companions."
Researchers say playing with an imaginary friend is a form of fantasy and plays a role in child development, helping children learn to think and deal with emotions. This kind of activity allows them to manage social situations, such as conflict, in a safe context with something that may or may not talk back to them. It also teaches them about abstract symbols and thought.
Imaginary Friends Common
In the study, which appears in the November issue of Developmental Psychology, researchers interviewed 152 preschoolers, ages 3 and 4, and their parents several years ago. Each child and their parents were interviewed separately about imaginary friends.
Three years later, as the children entered school, 100 of these children and their parents were interviewed and assessed again. By the time they reached age 7, 65% of the children said they had an imaginary friend at some point in their lives.
The children were considered to have imaginary friends if the child said they had one and could provide a description of it. Descriptions of imaginary friends ranged from invisible boys and girls to a squirrel, a panther, and a 7 inch-tall elephant.
Researchers found most imaginary friends played with by older children were invisible, but about half of younger children play with imaginary friends that were based on props, such as special toys.
Other findings include:
Preschool girls were more likely to have imaginary friends, but by age 7 boys were just as likely to have one.
27% of the children described an imaginary friend that their parents didn't know about.
Not all imaginary friends were friendly. Some were described as quite uncontrollable and a nuisance.
URL: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/98/104678.htm?action=related_link
News-Medical.Net
65 percent of children have had an imaginary companion
Posted By: News-Medical in Child Health News
Published: Monday, 6-Dec-2004
Printer Friendly
Email to a Friend
Imagination is alive and thriving in the minds of America's school-age children. It is so prevalent that 65 percent of children report that, by the age of 7, they have had an imaginary companion at some point in their lives, according to a new study by University of Washington and University of Oregon psychologists.
The research also indicates that having an imaginary companion is at least as common among school-age children as it is among preschoolers. Thirty-one percent of the school-age youngsters were playing with an imaginary companion when they were asked about such activity, compared with 28 percent of preschoolers.
"This finding is fascinating in that it goes against so many theories of middle childhood, such as those proposed by Sigmund Freud and Jean Piaget. Having an imaginary companion is normal for school-age children," said Stephanie Carlson, a UW assistant psychology professor.
Marjorie Taylor, a psychology professor at the University of Oregon, and Carlson are the lead authors of the study published in the current issue of the journal Developmental Psychology.
Having an imaginary companion appears to be an ongoing and changing process because a child doesn't necessarily play with the same imaginary companion throughout childhood. Carlson said some children reported having multiple and serial imaginary companions. The number of imaginary companions described by children ranged from one to 13 different entities.
"It is somewhat of a revolving door. Children are nimble in coming up with these imaginary companions and sometimes we have a hard time keeping up with all of the ones a child has," she said.
The researchers originally recruited 152 preschoolers, ages 3 and 4, and their parents several years ago. Each child and parents were interviewed separately about imaginary companions. The researchers also collected data on the children's verbal ability and gave them a series of standardized tasks to assess development, or what psychologists call theory of mind. Three years later, 100 of those children (50 girls and 50 boys) and their parents volunteered for the newly published study. The children and their parents again were interviewed separately about imaginary companions. Parents also filled out a questionnaire about their child's personality and the children took a series of standardized tasks that measured social understanding.
Children were considered to have imaginary companions if they said they had one and provided a description of it. If the companion was a doll or stuffed animal, children also had to include psychological details (such as "She is nice to me" wink for it to be considered an imaginary friend.
Imaginary companions described by the children came in a fantastic variety of guises, including invisible boys and girls, a squirrel, a panther, a dog, a seven-inch-tall elephant and a "100-year-old" GI Joe doll. While 52 percent of the imaginary companions that preschoolers played with were based on props such as special toys, 67 percent of those created by school-age children were invisible, according to Carlson.
The study also showed that:
While preschool girls were more likely to have an imaginary companion, by age 7 boys were just as likely as girls to have one.
27 percent of the children described an imaginary friend that their parents did not know about.
57 percent of the imaginary companions of school-age youngsters were humans and 41 percent were animals. One companion was a human capable of transforming herself into any animal the child wanted.
Not all imaginary companions are friendly. A number were quite uncontrollable and some were a nuisance.
The researchers also were curious to know why children stop playing with imaginary friends. "Imaginary companions are treated by children much in the same way as when they lose interest in toys or other activities," said Carlson. "In many cases they simply go away, or children don't remember. Other times children replace an old imaginary companion with a new one, or they go on to friendships with real kids to meet some of the same needs."
The researchers also looked at childhood impersonation pretending to be an imaginary character and found it to be almost universal. Virtually all preschoolers pretended to be an animal or another person and 95 percent of the school-age children engaged in impersonation. The researchers did not look at impersonation in the same detail as they did imaginary companions, and were surprised that so many school-age children continued to engage in the activity. One tantalizing finding was that school-age children who did little or no impersonation scored low on emotional understanding of other people, according to Carlson.
She said that fantasy interacting with imaginary friends and impersonation plays a role in child development, both cognitively and emotionally. This kind of activity allows children to manage social situations in a safe context, such as practicing how to handle conflict with something that may or may not talk back to them. Cognitively it helps them deal with abstract symbols and thought, which leads them to abstract thought about their own identity.
"Imaginary companions have had a bad rap from psychologists for a long time, and there was the perception that parents were getting the message that having an imaginary companion wasn't healthy," she said. "But this study shows that nearly two-thirds of children have them and the striking fact is that children of all personality styles have imaginary companions."
The University of Oregon funded the research. Co-authors of the study are former University of Oregon students Bayta Maring, Lynn Gerow and Carolyn Charley.
URL: http://www.news-medical.net/?id=6725
So, what do you think about it? Let the kid be in a sense of denial, or just let them be kids, and let them have that imaginary friend phase.
We all know of a time when we where kids, and you, yourself, or a friend, or neighbor, or even a family member had an imaginary friend. Many parents ask if its bad or uncommon for their children to have imaginary friends. Now, Im really, really lazy, and Ive quoted some articles and paragraphs telling that imaginary friends are common among small children, and always tend to go away before an older age, like around 10 or so.
But, do you think its okay for a child to have a friend? What if it grows into a problem and the child blames every irresponsible action on the friend, instead of themselves? Or what if the friend never goes away, ever, and they are assumed crazy when theyre older, say about 20 or so?
Id think it is fine for a kid to have an imaginary friend. Just let them be kids! I, myself sort of have an imaginary friend. :fwee: Sometimes, I talk to my cat, and pretend that he can talk back. Of course, Im usually home alone, sick, and bored while this happens. ninja
Quote:
Question: My toddler talks constantly about her imaginary friend. Is this normal?
BabyCentre Editorial Team: Don't worry, your toddler is not only normal, she's also very creative. Her burgeoning imagination fuels this wonderful fictitious creation, someone who accompanies her as she explores the world. Firstborns often have imaginary friends, as do very bright kids. It's one way children learn to make distinctions between good and bad. For example, your child may blame her friend for any misdeeds, saying "Jane" made her spill the milk or pull her books off the shelves. If she passes the buck, take her explanation at face value and help her clean up, but gently remind her of the rules of the house. Try not to make a big deal about it when she mentions her buddy. That means neither contradicting her ("Oh, come on, stop pretending!" wink or grilling her about it, nor expanding on it by pretending to meet or talk to her invisible pal. There's no reason to make her feel funny about talking to someone who doesn't exist, but if you go all out and incorporate her friend into your world, then you'll probably have her pal hanging around for a long time. In the meantime, let her enjoy the company of her friend; she'll soon grow out of this common childhood phase.
BabyCentre Editorial Team: Don't worry, your toddler is not only normal, she's also very creative. Her burgeoning imagination fuels this wonderful fictitious creation, someone who accompanies her as she explores the world. Firstborns often have imaginary friends, as do very bright kids. It's one way children learn to make distinctions between good and bad. For example, your child may blame her friend for any misdeeds, saying "Jane" made her spill the milk or pull her books off the shelves. If she passes the buck, take her explanation at face value and help her clean up, but gently remind her of the rules of the house. Try not to make a big deal about it when she mentions her buddy. That means neither contradicting her ("Oh, come on, stop pretending!" wink or grilling her about it, nor expanding on it by pretending to meet or talk to her invisible pal. There's no reason to make her feel funny about talking to someone who doesn't exist, but if you go all out and incorporate her friend into your world, then you'll probably have her pal hanging around for a long time. In the meantime, let her enjoy the company of her friend; she'll soon grow out of this common childhood phase.
URL for article above: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/expert/556551.html
Quote:
Imaginary Friends Common Among Older Children
Having an Imaginary Friend Is Normal for Preschool and School-Age Children
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Dec. 8, 2004 - Nearly two-thirds of children have had an imaginary friend by the time they reach age 7, and new research suggests that children don't tend to give up these imaginary playmates as soon as previously thought.
Although researchers have long suspected that preschool children give up their imaginary friends once they start school, their study showed that school-age children play with imaginary friends just as much as preschoolers.
They found 31% of school-age children said they were playing with an imaginary friend compared with 28% of preschoolers.
"Imaginary companions have had a bad rap from psychologists for a long time, and there was the perception that parents were getting the message that having an imaginary companion wasn't healthy," says researcher Stephanie Carlson, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington, in a news release. "But this study shows that nearly two-thirds of children have them, and the striking fact is that children of all personality styles have imaginary companions."
Researchers say playing with an imaginary friend is a form of fantasy and plays a role in child development, helping children learn to think and deal with emotions. This kind of activity allows them to manage social situations, such as conflict, in a safe context with something that may or may not talk back to them. It also teaches them about abstract symbols and thought.
Imaginary Friends Common
In the study, which appears in the November issue of Developmental Psychology, researchers interviewed 152 preschoolers, ages 3 and 4, and their parents several years ago. Each child and their parents were interviewed separately about imaginary friends.
Three years later, as the children entered school, 100 of these children and their parents were interviewed and assessed again. By the time they reached age 7, 65% of the children said they had an imaginary friend at some point in their lives.
The children were considered to have imaginary friends if the child said they had one and could provide a description of it. Descriptions of imaginary friends ranged from invisible boys and girls to a squirrel, a panther, and a 7 inch-tall elephant.
Researchers found most imaginary friends played with by older children were invisible, but about half of younger children play with imaginary friends that were based on props, such as special toys.
Other findings include:
Preschool girls were more likely to have imaginary friends, but by age 7 boys were just as likely to have one.
27% of the children described an imaginary friend that their parents didn't know about.
Not all imaginary friends were friendly. Some were described as quite uncontrollable and a nuisance.
URL: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/98/104678.htm?action=related_link
Quote:
News-Medical.Net
65 percent of children have had an imaginary companion
Posted By: News-Medical in Child Health News
Published: Monday, 6-Dec-2004
Printer Friendly
Email to a Friend
Imagination is alive and thriving in the minds of America's school-age children. It is so prevalent that 65 percent of children report that, by the age of 7, they have had an imaginary companion at some point in their lives, according to a new study by University of Washington and University of Oregon psychologists.
The research also indicates that having an imaginary companion is at least as common among school-age children as it is among preschoolers. Thirty-one percent of the school-age youngsters were playing with an imaginary companion when they were asked about such activity, compared with 28 percent of preschoolers.
"This finding is fascinating in that it goes against so many theories of middle childhood, such as those proposed by Sigmund Freud and Jean Piaget. Having an imaginary companion is normal for school-age children," said Stephanie Carlson, a UW assistant psychology professor.
Marjorie Taylor, a psychology professor at the University of Oregon, and Carlson are the lead authors of the study published in the current issue of the journal Developmental Psychology.
Having an imaginary companion appears to be an ongoing and changing process because a child doesn't necessarily play with the same imaginary companion throughout childhood. Carlson said some children reported having multiple and serial imaginary companions. The number of imaginary companions described by children ranged from one to 13 different entities.
"It is somewhat of a revolving door. Children are nimble in coming up with these imaginary companions and sometimes we have a hard time keeping up with all of the ones a child has," she said.
The researchers originally recruited 152 preschoolers, ages 3 and 4, and their parents several years ago. Each child and parents were interviewed separately about imaginary companions. The researchers also collected data on the children's verbal ability and gave them a series of standardized tasks to assess development, or what psychologists call theory of mind. Three years later, 100 of those children (50 girls and 50 boys) and their parents volunteered for the newly published study. The children and their parents again were interviewed separately about imaginary companions. Parents also filled out a questionnaire about their child's personality and the children took a series of standardized tasks that measured social understanding.
Children were considered to have imaginary companions if they said they had one and provided a description of it. If the companion was a doll or stuffed animal, children also had to include psychological details (such as "She is nice to me" wink for it to be considered an imaginary friend.
Imaginary companions described by the children came in a fantastic variety of guises, including invisible boys and girls, a squirrel, a panther, a dog, a seven-inch-tall elephant and a "100-year-old" GI Joe doll. While 52 percent of the imaginary companions that preschoolers played with were based on props such as special toys, 67 percent of those created by school-age children were invisible, according to Carlson.
The study also showed that:
While preschool girls were more likely to have an imaginary companion, by age 7 boys were just as likely as girls to have one.
27 percent of the children described an imaginary friend that their parents did not know about.
57 percent of the imaginary companions of school-age youngsters were humans and 41 percent were animals. One companion was a human capable of transforming herself into any animal the child wanted.
Not all imaginary companions are friendly. A number were quite uncontrollable and some were a nuisance.
The researchers also were curious to know why children stop playing with imaginary friends. "Imaginary companions are treated by children much in the same way as when they lose interest in toys or other activities," said Carlson. "In many cases they simply go away, or children don't remember. Other times children replace an old imaginary companion with a new one, or they go on to friendships with real kids to meet some of the same needs."
The researchers also looked at childhood impersonation pretending to be an imaginary character and found it to be almost universal. Virtually all preschoolers pretended to be an animal or another person and 95 percent of the school-age children engaged in impersonation. The researchers did not look at impersonation in the same detail as they did imaginary companions, and were surprised that so many school-age children continued to engage in the activity. One tantalizing finding was that school-age children who did little or no impersonation scored low on emotional understanding of other people, according to Carlson.
She said that fantasy interacting with imaginary friends and impersonation plays a role in child development, both cognitively and emotionally. This kind of activity allows children to manage social situations in a safe context, such as practicing how to handle conflict with something that may or may not talk back to them. Cognitively it helps them deal with abstract symbols and thought, which leads them to abstract thought about their own identity.
"Imaginary companions have had a bad rap from psychologists for a long time, and there was the perception that parents were getting the message that having an imaginary companion wasn't healthy," she said. "But this study shows that nearly two-thirds of children have them and the striking fact is that children of all personality styles have imaginary companions."
The University of Oregon funded the research. Co-authors of the study are former University of Oregon students Bayta Maring, Lynn Gerow and Carolyn Charley.
URL: http://www.news-medical.net/?id=6725
So, what do you think about it? Let the kid be in a sense of denial, or just let them be kids, and let them have that imaginary friend phase.
