“HE MADE ME SPECIAL”: IMAGINARY COMPANIONS, FUNCTIONS AND PARENTAL ATTITUDES

• Main Authors: Natália Benincasa Velludo, Débora de Hollanda Souza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Maringá 2016-07-01
• Series: Psicologia em Estudo
• Subjects: Amigo imaginário; brincar de faz de conta; atitudes dos pais.
• Online Access: http://periodicos.uem.br/ojs/index.php/PsicolEstud/article/view/29924

Imaginary companions are one especially elaborated form of pretend play, so frequent in their creators’ daily lives that they can actually serve the function of keeping them company. The characteristics of these types of fantasy creations, as well as their possible functions, were investigated in a sample of 18 children between 6 and 7 years of age (M = 85 months, SD = 4,82; range = 76 – 94 months; 10 girls e 8 boys) who had imaginary companions. These children participated in a larger study that aimed at comparing sociocognitive and language development in children with (n = 18) and without imaginary companions (n = 22). In order to investigate parental attitudes toward the phenomenon, parents/caretakers of children (from both groups) from the first study were invited to participate, and 11 (10 mothers and 1 grandmother) accepted the invitation. The reported characteristics of imaginary companions were diverse (i.e., physical appearance, type, age, for how long they have been friends), and their functions were associated with different needs, such as company, fun or emotional comfort. Whereas the majority of parents associated the phenomenon with an exercise of imagination, some believed the experience could be indicative of problems, for example, a loss of contact with reality or the influence of evil entities. The findings of the present research are consistent with international studies on imaginary companions. We hope these results may contribute to advancing this line of investigation in Brazil.