{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T00:51:50Z","timestamp":1790124710230,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,23]],"date-time":"2021-01-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1611360000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,23]],"date-time":"2021-01-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1611360000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Child Psychiatry Hum Dev"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>The aims of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy of a brief intervention, and to determine for whom the treatment works. 73 children between 3 and 8 years of age with significant nighttime fears were enrolled in an intervention group (n\u2009=\u200936) or in a waitlist group (n\u2009=\u200937). The intervention involved a 5-week parent delivered therapy. Assessments took place at baseline, post-treatment, and 20 weeks following baseline. In the intervention group, compared with the waitlist group, nighttime-related fears and phobic symptoms decreased more, whereas adaptive nighttime behavior increased to a greater extent. The more time children spent with exposure and relaxation games during the intervention, the more their separation anxiety and maladaptive nighttime behavior were reduced. Girls\u2019 fear of darkness was reduced to a greater extent. The present study provides support for the use of parent-delivered therapy in the treatment of childhood nighttime fears.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s10578-020-01103-4","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,23]],"date-time":"2021-01-23T12:02:58Z","timestamp":1611403378000},"page":"256-267","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Reducing the Nighttime Fears of Young Children Through a Brief Parent-Delivered Treatment\u2014Effectiveness of the Hungarian Version of Uncle Lightfoot"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"53","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7387-0865","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Krisztina","family":"Kopcs\u00f3","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e1s","family":"L\u00e1ng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mary F.","family":"Coffman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"1103_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2464","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brat.2007.03.013","volume":"45","author":"J Gordon","year":"2007","unstructured":"Gordon J, King N, Gullone E et al (2007) Nighttime fears of children and adolescents: frequency, content, severity, harm expectations, disclosure, and coping behaviours. Behav Res Ther 45:2464\u20132472. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.brat.2007.03.013","journal-title":"Behav Res Ther"},{"key":"1103_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"429","DOI":"10.1016\/S0272-7358(99)00034-3","volume":"20","author":"E Gullone","year":"2000","unstructured":"Gullone E (2000) The development of normal fear: a century of research. Clin Psychol Rev 20:429\u2013451. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0272-7358(99)00034-3","journal-title":"Clin Psychol Rev"},{"key":"1103_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1016\/S0005-7967(99)00155-2","volume":"39","author":"P Muris","year":"2001","unstructured":"Muris P, Merckelbach H, Ollendick TH et al (2001) Children\u2019s nighttime fears: parent\u2013child ratings of frequency, content, origins, coping behaviors and severity. Behav Res Ther 39:13\u201328. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0005-7967(99)00155-2","journal-title":"Behav Res Ther"},{"key":"1103_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425596","volume-title":"Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders","author":"American Psychiatric Association","year":"2013","unstructured":"American Psychiatric Association (2013) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edn. Author, Washington, DC","edition":"5"},{"key":"1103_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1300\/J019v18n03_02","volume":"18","author":"FJ M\u00e9ndez","year":"1996","unstructured":"M\u00e9ndez FJ, Garcia MJ (1996) Emotive performances: a treatment package for children\u2019s phobias. Child Fam Behav Ther 18:19\u201334. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1300\/J019v18n03_02","journal-title":"Child Fam Behav Ther"},{"key":"1103_CR6","first-page":"315","volume":"8","author":"M Orgil\u00e9s","year":"2008","unstructured":"Orgil\u00e9s M, Espada JP, M\u00e9ndez X (2008) Assessment instruments of darkness phobia in children and adolescents: a descriptive review. Int J Clin Health Psychol 8:315\u2013333","journal-title":"Int J Clin Health Psychol"},{"key":"1103_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2004-0815E","volume":"115","author":"OG Jenni","year":"2005","unstructured":"Jenni OG, Fuhrer HZ, Iglowstein I et al (2005) A longitudinal study of bed sharing and sleep problems among swiss children in the first 10 years of life. Pediatrics 115:233\u2013240. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1542\/peds.2004-0815E","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"1103_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"870","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sleep.2011.03.022","volume":"12","author":"J Kushnir","year":"2011","unstructured":"Kushnir J, Sadeh A (2011) Sleep of preschool children with night-time fears. Sleep Med 12:870\u2013874. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.sleep.2011.03.022","journal-title":"Sleep Med"},{"key":"1103_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1080\/15402000801952922","volume":"6","author":"F Cortesi","year":"2008","unstructured":"Cortesi F, Giannotti F, Sebastiani T et al (2008) Cosleeping versus solitary sleeping in children with bedtime problems: child emotional problems and parental distress. Behav Sleep Med 6:89\u2013105. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/15402000801952922","journal-title":"Behav Sleep Med"},{"key":"1103_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"941","DOI":"10.1007\/s10826-019-01332-9","volume":"28","author":"R El Rafihi-Ferreira","year":"2019","unstructured":"El Rafihi-Ferreira R, Lewis KM, McFayden T, Ollendick TH (2019) Predictors of nighttime fears and sleep problems in young children. J Child Fam Stud 28:941\u2013949. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10826-019-01332-9","journal-title":"J Child Fam Stud"},{"key":"1103_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"336","DOI":"10.1016\/j.comppsych.2013.08.019","volume":"55","author":"J Kushnir","year":"2014","unstructured":"Kushnir J, Gothelf D, Sadeh A (2014) Nighttime fears of preschool children: a potential disposition marker for anxiety? Compr Psychiatry 55:336\u2013341. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.comppsych.2013.08.019","journal-title":"Compr Psychiatry"},{"key":"1103_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.1007\/s10578-012-0318-x","volume":"44","author":"T Zisenwine","year":"2013","unstructured":"Zisenwine T, Kaplan M, Kushnir J, Sadeh A (2013) Nighttime fears and fantasy-reality differentiation in preschool children. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 44:186\u2013199. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10578-012-0318-x","journal-title":"Child Psychiatry Hum Dev"},{"key":"1103_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"309","DOI":"10.1007\/BF01183850","volume":"9","author":"KC Mooney","year":"1985","unstructured":"Mooney KC (1985) Children\u2019s nighttime fears: ratings of content and coping behaviors. Cogn Ther Res 9:309\u2013319. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/BF01183850","journal-title":"Cogn Ther Res"},{"key":"1103_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"500","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.87.4.500","volume":"87","author":"R Adair","year":"1991","unstructured":"Adair R, Bauchner H, Philipp B et al (1991) Night waking during infancy: role of parental presence at bedtime. Pediatrics 87:500\u2013504","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"1103_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"393","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sleep.2009.11.011","volume":"11","author":"JA Mindell","year":"2010","unstructured":"Mindell JA, Sadeh A, Kohyama J, How TH (2010) Parental behaviors and sleep outcomes in infants and toddlers: a cross-cultural comparison. Sleep Med 11:393\u2013399. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.sleep.2009.11.011","journal-title":"Sleep Med"},{"key":"1103_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1016\/j.smrv.2009.05.003","volume":"14","author":"A Sadeh","year":"2010","unstructured":"Sadeh A, Tikotzky L, Scher A (2010) Parenting and infant sleep. Sleep Med Rev 14:89\u201396. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.smrv.2009.05.003","journal-title":"Sleep Med Rev"},{"key":"1103_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"686","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sleep.2009.11.017","volume":"11","author":"L Tikotzky","year":"2010","unstructured":"Tikotzky L, Sadeh A (2010) The role of cognitive\u2013behavioral therapy in behavioral childhood insomnia. Sleep Med 11:686\u2013691. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.sleep.2009.11.017","journal-title":"Sleep Med"},{"key":"1103_CR18","first-page":"542","volume-title":"Handbook of emotion regulation","author":"L Campbell-Sills","year":"2007","unstructured":"Campbell-Sills L, Barlow DH (2007) Incorporating emotion regulation into conceptualizations and treatments of anxiety and mood disorders. In: Gross JJ (ed) Handbook of emotion regulation. The Guilford Press, New York, pp 542\u2013559"},{"key":"1103_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/15374416.2018.1534208","volume":"48","author":"JS Comer","year":"2019","unstructured":"Comer JS, Hong N, Poznanski B et al (2019) Evidence base update on the treatment of early childhood anxiety and related problems. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 48:1\u201315. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/15374416.2018.1534208","journal-title":"J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol"},{"key":"1103_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.5127\/pr.034613","volume":"a1","author":"A Knight","year":"2014","unstructured":"Knight A, McLellan L, Jones M, Hudson J (2014) Pre-treatment predictors of outcome in childhood anxiety disorders: a systematic review. Psychopathol Rev a1:77\u2013129. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5127\/pr.034613","journal-title":"Psychopathol Rev"},{"key":"1103_CR21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1021","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2008.02.007","volume":"28","author":"KB Wolitzky-Taylor","year":"2008","unstructured":"Wolitzky-Taylor KB, Horowitz JD, Powers MB, Telch MJ (2008) Psychological approaches in the treatment of specific phobias: a meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev 28:1021\u20131037. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cpr.2008.02.007","journal-title":"Clin Psychol Rev"},{"key":"1103_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1018743908617","volume":"35","author":"EMZ Farmer","year":"1999","unstructured":"Farmer EMZ, Stangl DK, Burns BJ et al (1999) Use, persistence, and intensity: patterns of care for children\u2019s mental health across one year. Community Ment Health J 35:31\u201346. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1023\/A:1018743908617","journal-title":"Community Ment Health J"},{"key":"1103_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.bp.113.126698","volume":"203","author":"K Thirlwall","year":"2013","unstructured":"Thirlwall K, Cooper PJ, Karalus J et al (2013) Treatment of child anxiety disorders via guided parent-delivered cognitive\u2013behavioural therapy: randomised controlled trial. Br J Psychiatry 203:436\u2013444. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1192\/bjp.bp.113.126698","journal-title":"Br J Psychiatry"},{"key":"1103_CR24","first-page":"49","volume":"7","author":"C Creswell","year":"2010","unstructured":"Creswell C, Hentges F, Parkinson M et al (2010) Feasibility of guided cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) self-help for childhood anxiety disorders in primary care. Ment Health Fam Med 7:49\u201357","journal-title":"Ment Health Fam Med"},{"key":"1103_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1287","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brat.2005.09.009","volume":"44","author":"HJ Lyneham","year":"2006","unstructured":"Lyneham HJ, Rapee RM (2006) Evaluation of therapist-supported parent-implemented CBT for anxiety disorders in rural children. Behav Res Ther 44:1287\u20131300. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.brat.2005.09.009","journal-title":"Behav Res Ther"},{"key":"1103_CR26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-006X.74.3.436","volume":"74","author":"RM Rapee","year":"2006","unstructured":"Rapee RM, Abbott MJ, Lyneham HJ (2006) Bibliotherapy for children with anxiety disorders using written materials for parents: a randomized controlled trial. J Consult Clin Psychol 74:436\u2013444. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0022-006X.74.3.436","journal-title":"J Consult Clin Psychol"},{"key":"1103_CR27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"275","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118315088.ch13","volume-title":"The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of the treatment of childhood and adolescent anxiety","author":"M Coffman","year":"2013","unstructured":"Coffman M, Andrasik F, Ollendick TH (2013) Bibliotherapy for anxious and phobic youth. In: Essau CA, Ollendick TH (eds) The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of the treatment of childhood and adolescent anxiety. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, pp 275\u2013300"},{"key":"1103_CR28","volume-title":"Uncle Lightfoot, flip that switch: overcoming fear of the dark, revised 2nd Edition","author":"MF Coffman","year":"2014","unstructured":"Coffman MF (2014) Uncle Lightfoot, flip that switch: overcoming fear of the dark, revised 2nd Edition. Footpath Press LLC, St. Petersburg"},{"key":"1103_CR29","volume-title":"Uncle Lightfoot, flip that switch: overcoming fear of the dark","author":"MF Coffman","year":"2012","unstructured":"Coffman MF (2012) Uncle Lightfoot, flip that switch: overcoming fear of the dark, 2nd edn. Footpath Press LLC, St Petersburg","edition":"2"},{"key":"1103_CR30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.1016\/j.janxdis.2014.12.004","volume":"30","author":"KM Lewis","year":"2015","unstructured":"Lewis KM, Amatya K, Coffman MF, Ollendick TH (2015) Treating nighttime fears in young children with bibliotherapy: evaluating anxiety symptoms and monitoring behavior change. J Anxiety Disord 30:103\u2013112. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.janxdis.2014.12.004","journal-title":"J Anxiety Disord"},{"key":"1103_CR31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1300\/J019v07n03_01","volume":"7","author":"WL Mikulas","year":"1985","unstructured":"Mikulas WL, Coffman MG, Dayton D et al (1985) Behavioral bibliotherapy and games for treating fear of the dark. Child Fam Behav Ther 7:1\u20138. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1300\/J019v07n03_01","journal-title":"Child Fam Behav Ther"},{"key":"1103_CR32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1300\/J019v28n01_02","volume":"28","author":"I Santacruz","year":"2006","unstructured":"Santacruz I, M\u00e9ndez FJ, S\u00e1nchez-Meca J (2006) Play therapy applied by parents for children with darkness phobia: comparison of two programmes. Child Fam Behav Ther 28:19\u201335. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1300\/J019v28n01_02","journal-title":"Child Fam Behav Ther"},{"key":"1103_CR33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2006.07.002","volume":"27","author":"J Gordon","year":"2007","unstructured":"Gordon J, King N, Gullone E et al (2007) Treatment of children\u2019s nighttime fears: the need for a modern randomised controlled trial. Clin Psychol Rev 27:98\u2013113. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cpr.2006.07.002","journal-title":"Clin Psychol Rev"},{"key":"1103_CR34","volume-title":"A gyermekkori s\u00f6t\u00e9tt\u0151l val\u00f3 f\u00e9lelem jellemz\u0151i \u00e9s sz\u00fcl\u0151 \u00e1ltal vezetett ter\u00e1pi\u00e1ja [Fear of the dark in children: characteristics and a parent-delivered therapy]. Doctoral dissertation","author":"K Kopcs\u00f3","year":"2019","unstructured":"Kopcs\u00f3 K (2019) A gyermekkori s\u00f6t\u00e9tt\u0151l val\u00f3 f\u00e9lelem jellemz\u0151i \u00e9s sz\u00fcl\u0151 \u00e1ltal vezetett ter\u00e1pi\u00e1ja [Fear of the dark in children: characteristics and a parent-delivered therapy]. Doctoral dissertation. University of P\u00e9cs, P\u00e9cs"},{"key":"1103_CR35","unstructured":"Coffman MF (1987) What my child can do at night \u2013 parent form-R. Unpublished instrument"},{"key":"1103_CR36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"689","DOI":"10.1007\/s10578-013-0364-z","volume":"44","author":"T In-Albon","year":"2013","unstructured":"In-Albon T, Meyer AH, Schneider S (2013) Separation anxiety avoidance inventory-child and parent version: psychometric properties and clinical utility in a clinical and school sample. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 44:689\u2013697. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10578-013-0364-z","journal-title":"Child Psychiatry Hum Dev"},{"key":"1103_CR37","unstructured":"Coffman MF (2012) Treatment evaluation survey for Uncle Lightfoot, flip that switch-revised. Unpublished instrument"},{"key":"1103_CR38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1016\/j.janxdis.2018.06.008","volume":"58","author":"RE Rafihi-Ferreira","year":"2018","unstructured":"Rafihi-Ferreira RE, Silvares EFM, Asbahr FR, Ollendick TH (2018) Brief treatment for nighttime fears and co-sleeping problems: a randomized clinical trial. J Anxiety Disord 58:51\u201360. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.janxdis.2018.06.008","journal-title":"J Anxiety Disord"},{"key":"1103_CR39","first-page":"179","volume-title":"Wiley series on personality processes. Handbook of parent training: parents as co-therapists for children\u2019s behavior problems","author":"WL Mikulas","year":"1989","unstructured":"Mikulas WL, Coffman MF (1989) Home-based treatment of children\u2019s fear of the dark. In: Schaefer CE, Briesmeister JM (eds) Wiley series on personality processes. Handbook of parent training: parents as co-therapists for children\u2019s behavior problems. Wiley, Oxford, pp 179\u2013202"}],"container-title":["Child Psychiatry &amp; Human Development"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s10578-020-01103-4.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s10578-020-01103-4\/fulltext.html","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s10578-020-01103-4.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,18]],"date-time":"2023-10-18T23:31:16Z","timestamp":1697671876000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/s10578-020-01103-4"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,23]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,4]]}},"alternative-id":["1103"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10578-020-01103-4","relation":{},"ISSN":["0009-398X","1573-3327"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0009-398X","type":"print"},{"value":"1573-3327","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,23]]},"assertion":[{"value":"1 December 2020","order":1,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"23 January 2021","order":2,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Compliance with Ethical Standards"}},{"value":"The third author is the author of the assessed self-help book. She had no contact with the families. She was not involved in either data collection or data analysis.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Conflict of interest"}}]}}