Efficacy of bibliotherapy combined with games to reduce fear of the dark in young children: results from a clinical trial

Intense fear of the dark is a common issue among children, which can interfere with their daily functioning at family, social, and academic levels. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of a psychotherapeutic intervention based on bibliotherapy combined with play to overcome the fear of the dark in children between 4 and 8 years old. A total of 38 children participated, who were assigned to the experimental and control conditions on the waiting list. The bibliotherapy intervention in the experimental condition involved reading a book and playing the games proposed in each chapter. The intervention lasted 4 to 5 weeks. The results indicate a decrease in fears related to nighttime characteristics and imaginary stimuli in the experimental group, whereas no improvements were observed in the control group. Additionally, significant improvements were found in the nighttime behavior of children in the experimental group and their ability to act in dark situations. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that play-based bibliotherapy is an effective treatment for overcoming children's fear of the dark. Furthermore, the relevant role of parents in addressing this type of problem is demonstrated. TRIAL REGISTRATION: registered on https://ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT07067320). Date of registration: 16/07/2025, retrospectively registered. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Fear of the dark is common in children and can negatively affect sleep, behavior, and daily functioning. • Bibliotherapy is a promising, low-cost intervention for addressing children's nighttime fears. WHAT IS NEW: • Provides evidence for the effectiveness of a home-based bibliotherapy program combined with games for children aged 4-8 in reducing fears and improving nighttime behavior, highlighting the key role of parents. • Evaluates an expanded version of the intervention with new components (e.g., gradual exposure, nightmare management).