Psychological treatment of the phobia of the dark in a game situation: a controlled essay

Abstract

Participants were 64 children, between 5 to 8 years, with an average age of 6 years and 4 months, and an equal distribution by gender (50% boys). Subjects were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions: a) treatment with the complete program of emotive performances, b) treatment with emotive performances without game, c) waiting list. The program was applied by the parents at home during 12 sessions of 30 minutes. Significant differences were found between the 3 experimental conditions. The best results were reached with the complete treatment, although there were not differences in some variables compared with the treatment without game. The control group showed avoidance behaviours and fear of the dark when the period of waiting finished, showing significant differences compared with the treated groups. The game seems to be an important component of the program of emotive performances, which helps children to implicate in the treatment.