دورية أكاديمية
The role of imaginary companion in the life of only children: a qualitative study.
| العنوان: | The role of imaginary companion in the life of only children: a qualitative study. |
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| المؤلفون: | Panah ZY; Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran., Mahmoodabadi HZ; Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran., Dehghani F; Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran. |
| المصدر: | BMC psychiatry [BMC Psychiatry] 2023 Nov 15; Vol. 23 (1), pp. 843. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Nov 15. |
| نوع المنشور: | Journal Article |
| اللغة: | English |
| بيانات الدورية: | Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 100968559 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1471-244X (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 1471244X NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Psychiatry Subsets: MEDLINE |
| أسماء مطبوعة: | Original Publication: London : BioMed Central, [2001- |
| مواضيع طبية MeSH: | Imagination* , Only Child*, Child ; Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Qualitative Research |
| مستخلص: | Introduction: An imaginary companion is an invisible or personified entity created by children for themselves. An imaginary companion typically serves as a companion to the child and plays a significant role in their life, especially for only children who may experience more loneliness compared to other children. This research was conducted to investigate the role of an imaginary companion in the lives of only children. Method: The present study was conducted using a qualitative method and a content analysis approach. Through purposeful sampling, a total of 34 preschool and primary school children, aged 6 to 9 years, from schools in Mashhad city, were selected until saturation was reached. They were subjected to semi-structured interviews. After data collection, the data were coded, and then the main and sub-themes were extracted. Results: The research findings were represented in the form of 196 statements, 28 sub-themes, and 9 main themes. The main themes included the role of an imaginary companion in alleviating loneliness, the role of an imaginary companion in amusement, the role of an imaginary companion in emotional regulation, conversations with an imaginary companion, guidance from an imaginary companion for good and bad behaviors, the assistance of an imaginary companion in tasks, helping to generate new scenarios, the advantages of having an imaginary companion, and the disadvantages of having one. Conclusion: Based on the aforementioned findings, it can be concluded that the presence of an imaginary companion can not only support children but also promote creativity and distance them from the virtual space and realities of the real world. Parental awareness of this matter can aid in the child's growth, fulfill their needs, and, on the other hand, prevent potential harm to children. (© 2023. The Author(s).) |
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| فهرسة مساهمة: | Keywords: Children; Imaginary companion; Mashhad city; Only child; Qualitative content analysis |
| تواريخ الأحداث: | Date Created: 20231116 Date Completed: 20231117 Latest Revision: 20231120 |
| رمز التحديث: | 20240628 |
| مُعرف محوري في PubMed: | PMC10652514 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12888-023-05360-0 |
| PMID: | 37968583 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | MEDLINE |
Find this article in full text from Springer Verlag. 
Full Text Finder | تدمد: | 1471-244X |
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| DOI: | 10.1186/s12888-023-05360-0 |