Understanding Children's Literature and its Relationship to Fantasy Ability and Coping

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between the ability to engage in fantasy activity and the ability to understand a fantasy message in literature. The study also examined the relationships among pretend play, fantasy, and coping abilities. Participants were 55 first-grade children. After being assessed for pretend play and fantasy abilities, the children heard a reading of Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Following the story, the children engaged in three tasks that assessed understanding of the story. The children's ability to cope with a situation similar to the one in the story was also assessed. While the majority of children enjoyed listening to the story, no relationship was found between pretend play/fantasy ability and the ability to understand the fantasy message in the story. As predicted, pretend play/fantasy ability was significantly positively related to coping ability. Children's understanding of the story was not related to the ability to cope with a situation similar to the one in the story. The roles of cognitive development and reading readiness need to be considered in understanding the results, as it appears that children this age are focused on the mechanics of learning to read. The finding that pretend play and fantasy ability were related to coping suggests that fantasy ability is a resource for children that might facilitate flexible thinking and problem solving.