An Investigation into the Effectiveness of Storytelling in Reducing Childhood Fears and Shyness in Children 3-8 Years

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of storytelling on reducing of childhood fears and shyness in children. The research design is a pretest-posttest test.

It includes all 3 to 8 year-old children in Ardakan city. The sample was selected using stratified random sampling method and the subjects were assigned to the experimental and control groups. The sample size was selected according to Cohen table for each group of 25 people. The data collection tools were scales of children's fear scale and shyness scale were Check and Briggs. At first, the pre-test was performed on both groups; then the experimental intervention of the stage therapy was performed in a group manner and after the completion of the program, a post-test was performed.

In this study, after collecting data by standardized questionnaires, and using SPSS software version 22, to analyze the data, multivariate analysis of variance was used. There is a difference between the total scores of childhood fears and shyness in the experimental and control groups (P <0.05). Therefore, it can be said that the total scores of childhood fears and shyness in the experimental group are lower than the total scores of childhood fears and shyness in the control group, which indicates the positive effect of story therapy.

Based on the findings, the results showed that storytelling therapy had a positive effect on reduction of childhood and shyness fears in 3-8 year-old children; the experimental group showed less fear and shyness compared to the control group after hearing children's stories in the form of treatment. Children in conditions that may nurture fears of new surroundings, strangers, and unknown actions, storytelling can be administered as a distraction from the fears that a child experiences during treatment. The experimental group showed less fear and shyness compared to the control group after hearing children's stories in the form of treatment. In fact, storytelling prepares children to face different problems and shows them different solutions to their problems. Stories and narratives can deeply affect the souls of children and adolescents and relieve them of the tensions they face in everyday life. Storytelling can also help reduce depression and shyness and hope in children and adolescents. Therefore, it can be said that the function of storytelling is not only to enjoy and increase the imagination and auditory and verbal abilities of the child. Rather, storytelling can be used to convey social concepts as well as reduce shyness and fear. Therefore, it can be said that the total scores of childhood fears and shyness in the experimental group are lower than the total scores of childhood fears and shyness in the control group, which indicates the positive effect of story therapy. Therefore, it is recommended that this type of treatment be used to address parents, counseling centers and psychological services of kindergartens and schools through co-ordination and matching with the inherent needs and characteristics of children, the limitations of their cognitive, emotional and behavioral functions.
Keywords: Storytelling, Childhood fears, Shyness, Children