Evaluation of Children’s Discourses Regarding Imaginary Companion: The Case of Türkiye

Preschool children’s imaginary companions are a relatively unexplored phenomenon. This article provides information about a qualitative study investigating Turkish children’s statements about their imaginary companions. Forty-six children aged between 48–60 months were interviewed. A phenomenological pattern was used to explore themes in the research. As a result of the research, six themes and 24 categories were created. When the themes were reviewed, it was seen that the children’s imaginary companions were male in terms of gender, clothing, and accessories in terms of appearance characteristics, and happiness in terms of mood characteristics. In addition, considering the thinking status of their imaginary companions, it was determined that they concentrated in the category of entertainment/game, in the category of communication skills in terms of liked/admirable features, and finally in the category of negative behaviour as disliked/unadmirable features. Addressing imaginary companions in children’s lives in different dimensions can contribute to their development.

[1]  Teléfonos móviles, redes sociales y praxis en adolescentes , 2021, Educatio Siglo XXI.

[2]  Omolola A. Adeoye-Olatunde,et al.  Research and scholarly methods: Semi‐structured interviews , 2021, JACCP: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CLINICAL PHARMACY.

[3]  K. Hertlein,et al.  Clients' perceptions of marriage and family therapists' way-of-being: a phenomenological analysis. , 2020, Journal of marital and family therapy.

[4]  Naoya Todo,et al.  Prevalence of imaginary companions in Japanese children , 2019, International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie.

[5]  Chunzi Liu,et al.  Sources and symptoms of stress among nurses in the first Chinese anti-Ebola medical team during the Sierra Leone aid mission: A qualitative study , 2019, International Journal of Nursing Sciences.

[6]  M. Arantzamendi,et al.  van Manen's phenomenology of practice: How can it contribute to nursing? , 2018, Nursing inquiry.

[7]  A. Aksoy,et al.  Çocukların Anne Babalarına Yönelik Algılarının Toplumsal Cinsiyet Bağlamında İncelenmesi , 2018 .

[8]  S. Youngwanichsetha,et al.  Lived experience of blood glucose self‐monitoring among pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a phenomenological research , 2017, Journal of clinical nursing.

[9]  E. Baines,et al.  Children’s play with their imaginary companions: Parent experiences and perceptions of the characteristics of the imaginary companions and purposes served , 2017, Educational and Child Psychology.

[10]  Abide Güngör Aytar,et al.  Yedi ve On Yaş Çocuklarının Sevgiyi İfade Ediş Biçimlerinin Çizdikleri Resimlere Yansıması , 2016 .

[11]  Martin Johnson,et al.  Systematic methodological review: developing a framework for a qualitative semi-structured interview guide. , 2016, Journal of advanced nursing.

[12]  G. Gillespie,et al.  Nurses' roles in screening for intimate partner violence: a phenomenological study. , 2016, International nursing review.

[13]  F. Pons,et al.  Imaginary companions, theory of mind and emotion understanding in young children , 2016 .

[14]  T. Gleason,et al.  Imaginary Companions and Young Children's Coping and Competence , 2014 .

[15]  Sezai Koçyiğit.  Preschool Age Children's Views about Primary School. , 2014 .

[16]  K. Majors.  Children’s perceptions of their imaginary companions and the purposes they serve: An exploratory study in the United Kingdom , 2013 .

[17]  Silvia E. Rabionet.  How I Learned to Design and Conduct Semi- structured Interviews: An Ongoing and Continuous Journey , 2011 .

[18]  Marjorie Taylor,et al.  Longitudinal outcomes of young high-risk adolescents with imaginary companions. , 2010, Developmental psychology.

[19]  H. Abedi,et al.  Women’s experience of pain during childbirth , 2010, Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research.

[20]  S. Richardson.  Undergraduates' perceptions of tourism and hospitality as a career choice. , 2009 .

[21]  Ravisha Mathur,et al.  An Investigation of Imaginary Companions in an Ethnic and Grade Diverse Sample , 2008 .

[22]  J. Einarsdóttir,et al.  Research with children: methodological and ethical challenges , 2007 .

[23]  T. Gleason,et al.  Concepts of Real and Imaginary Friendships in Early Childhood , 2006 .

[24]  Marjorie Taylor,et al.  Imaginary Companions and Impersonated Characters: Sex Differences in Children's Fantasy Play , 2005 .

[25]  Bayta L. Maring,et al.  The characteristics and correlates of fantasy in school-age children: imaginary companions, impersonation, and social understanding. , 2004, Developmental psychology.

[26]  T. Gleason.  Social provisions of real and imaginary relationships in early childhood. , 2002, Developmental psychology.

[27]  C. Pratt,et al.  A systematic assessment of the specific fears, anxiety level, and temperament of children with imaginary companions , 2002 .

[28]  Nancy L Kondracki,et al.  Content analysis: review of methods and their applications in nutrition education. , 2002, Journal of nutrition education and behavior.

[29]  W. Hartup,et al.  Imaginary companions of preschool children. , 2000, Developmental psychology.

[30]  C. Pratt,et al.  Characteristics of preschool and school-age children with imaginary companions. , 1999, The Journal of genetic psychology.

[31]  Marjorie Taylor,et al.  A developmental investigation of children's imaginary companions. , 1993 .

[32]  M. Manosevitz,et al.  Individual and family correlates of imaginary companions in preschool children. , 1973 .