ABSTRACT
Nighttime fears have always been a common problem for children and their families. These “monsters,” according to a literature review, frequently take the form of strangers or kidnappers who violently attack or hurt the child or members of the family. This may represent a shift away from previously more common fears of the dark or of animals (Orton, 1982; Robinson, Robinson, & Whetsell, 1988). Fears can have a debilitating effect upon the child’s growth and day-to-day happiness as well as a disruptive effect on the family’s routines and interactions. As exemplified in the case of Paula, a fifth-grade child referred to me several months ago, fears can be stubborn things to dislodge once personal and family patterns have been set and allowed to reinforce themselves (Dollinger, O’Donnell, & Staley, 1984; Moracco & Camilleri, 1983; Sarafino, 1986).
