A recent study conducted by Dr Sarah Wallwork and published by the University of South Australia shows unexpected benefits for children of hearing and reading stories.   Not only do they learn about the concept of pain, such stories help their emotional development, their development of empathy, and understanding of the norms of their socio-cultural environment.

The study looked at how parents and caregivers interact with children (aged 3-6) when looking at picture books that deal with characters being injured or otherwise hurt.  Such situations often prompted some discussion about causes of pain and injury, what to do when one is injured or in pain and the need to feel empathy and show prosocial skills.

Dr. Wallwork says that the study highlights the value of shared reading experiences and how parents can support their children to learn about pain-related concepts during a critical developmental period.

“Through the storybooks’ characters we found parents and caregivers would pause to further explain what was happening within the pages.

“For example, when Zog the dragon (in Julia Donaldson’s book Zog) bumps his head and gets a bandage, the parent said ‘Whoopsie daisy, because dragons are still learning, aren’t they?’ which linked the injury with learning and that it was normal to make mistakes when you were learning.

“Similarly, when Zog flew into a tree, the parent said ‘Oh no! That would’ve hurt, wouldn’t it?’ which prompted the child to think about how painful or sore or hurt Zog might be. In this way, the parent is teaching the child about empathy, and appropriate responses.

“Conversely, when pain and injury were depicted in a light-hearted or unrealistic way, parents often responded in a way that showed they were entertained by the character’s misfortune. And while this may seem harmless, the action could inadvertently socialize children to think that accidents and injuries can be funny.

“Learning appropriate and empathetic responses to pain and injury in childhood are valuable for many reasons: they help children learn to understand that some pain is fleeting, that some injuries need the help of others, and that injury and pain are not always intertwined.

“Shared reading of picture books is an ideal way to talk about concepts around pain due to its didactic nature—as opposed to children’s television and movies, where children are often watching on their own and become passive recipients of information.

“Connecting the narrative and the characters’ experiences to a child’s own experiences makes these concepts more relatable for children.

“Essentially, we’re translating learning from the picture books into their own real-life. It all starts with the turn of a page.”

More information: Sarah B. Wallwork et al, Harnessing Children’s Picture Books to Socialize Children About Pain and Injury: A Qualitative Study, The Journal of Pain (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.03.016

Journal information: Journal of Pain 

Provided by University of South Australia 

Image supplied by Freepik