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The “Anti-monster Letter” as a Simple Therapeutic Tool for Reducing Night-time Fears in Young Children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Peter Muris ,
Cindy Verweij  and
Cor Meesters
Peter Muris*
Affiliation:
Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Cindy Verweij
Affiliation:
Maastricht University, the Netherlands
Cor Meesters
Affiliation:
Maastricht University, the Netherlands
*
Address for correspondence: Professor Peter Muris, Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, Suite J5-31, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The current study examined the effects of the “anti-monster letter” as a simple tool for reducing night-time fears in young children. One hundred and forty-two children aged 4 to 6 years were randomly assigned to either an experimental condition in which children and parents were provided with an “anti-monster letter” or a control condition in which no intervention was carried out. Results indicated that the “anti-monster letter” yielded positive effects. That is, child report data showed that night-time fears substantially decreased in the intervention condition as compared with the control condition. In parents, such positive effects could not be substantiated by standardised assessments, although some parents indicated that they considered the intervention as helpful.

Type
Research Article
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , 01 December 2003 , pp. 200 - 207
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

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