Children ‘most fear’ creepy-crawlies

A fear of creepy-crawlies is most likely to give children sleepless nights, according to a survey about what scares them the most.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Oct 2013, 01:01 BST

Researchers found a quarter of children said they were scared by spiders and bugs, with 23 per cent admitting to a fear of the dark. Other worries highlighted in the survey included being bullied (22 per cent), ghosts (20 per cent) and doing badly at school (14 per cent).

The survey of 2,000 parents also asked them about their fears, with around a third (34 per cent) saying they were most worried about something happening to their children, although more than one in 10 (13 per cent) admitted to being scared of spiders and bugs.

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It was commissioned by Sky Movies to mark the launch of its TV special Toy Story of Terror.

Psychologist Anjula Mutanda said: “Fears have evolved and changed over the years for both children and adults, and it’s important that parents are alert to techniques to help their children and themselves overcome fears.

“One of the great benefits of Halloween and movies like Toy Story of Terror is that they can help and encourage children to confront their fears. Jessie’s fears of abandonment and enclosed spaces are dealt with in this new special episode – it’s rewarding to see her confront them and become empowered.”