Imaginary Friend - Recent Longitudinal Research

Recent Longitudinal Research

Although some theories have suggested that imaginary friends drop away during school-age, and any children who hold on to imaginary friends longer than this time are stigmatized, there is evidence supporting a positive outlook on imaginary companions later in childhood.

A study published by Marjorie Taylor of the University of Oregon in 2010 examines the occurrence of imaginary friends in middle school children who are at risk for developing problem behaviours. In the initial part of the study, it was discovered that middle school children with imaginary friends displayed better coping strategies, but also displayed a “low social preference for peers.” The same study did a six year follow-up with the children at the end of their high school career by phone interviews, using CIDI. The follow-up discovered that imaginary friends may contribute more directly to resilience, and help the children with positive adjustment. Researchers found that although imaginary friends are "often linked to dissociation", they found no evidence of this, and instead found that having an imaginary friend later in life could contribute to effective coping methods. Researchers also noted that in some cases, "peer rejection and isolation can serve as protective factors in adolescent development." This leads to at-risk children avoiding any problem behaviours because they are not in peer situations that would cause these behaviours to arise. The overall finding was that having an imaginary friend later in childhood may be positive regarding resilience and coping strategies, and therefore positive adjustment.