Understanding, assessing and treating children's fears and phobias

• Grant number: 17/20241-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: February 01, 2018
• End date: April 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Psychological Treatment and Prevention
• Principal Investigator: Edwiges Ferreira de Mattos Silvares
• Grantee: Renatha El Rafihi Ferreira
• Supervisor: Thomas H. Ollendick
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psicologia (IP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/18841-7 - Intervention for preschool children with nighttime fears and avoidance behaviors of sleeping, BP.PD

Abstract

Nighttime fears, when frequent and intense, are associated with anxiety and may harm the child's quality of sleep and daytime behavior. Fortunately, therapeutic interventions for the handling of this complaint have shown beneficial results. However, in Brazil, this subject is still incipient and there is not enough production that addresses the theme. The aim of this research is to investigate the efficiency of interventions for nighttime fears in childhood. The investigation is going to be carried out by reviewing specialized literature, following up clinical research in a center specialized in the treatment of fear and anxiety in order to observe the methods and procedures used under the supervision of a worldly known professor; and also by analyzing the results of empirical research about the efficiency of a brief intervention for children's nighttime fears. In addition, the work plan includes translating the book "Dormindo com Rafi. Boa Noite Filhote!" (which is used in the post-doctorate research) into English, and a children's book about dog phobia into Portuguese. It is believed that the study visit and the following up of clinical research in an international center, in addition to periodic meetings with a professor with vast experience in the theme of the project and considered an international leader in the field, are going to help the interpretation, discussion and diffusion of the post-doctorate research results in Brazil and other countries.