Development and Validation of the Retrospective Childhood Fantasy Play Scale

Abstract

This article describes the development and initial psychometric properties of the Retrospective Childhood Fantasy Play Scale (RCFPS), a brief 11-item retrospective self-report measure of preference for, and engagement with, fantasy play during childhood. Five studies were conducted to (a) develop the initial items for the scale ( n = 77), (b) determine the underlying factor structure ( n = 200), (c) test the fit of the model ( n = 530), and (d) and (e) ascertain construct validity ( n = 200) and convergent validity ( n = 263). Overall, the results suggest that the RCFPS is a unidimensional measure with acceptable fit and preliminary validity. The RCFPS may prove useful in educational and developmental research as an alternative to longitudinal studies to further investigate how childhood fantasy play relates to individual differences in adulthood (e.g., in the areas of creativity, theory of mind, and narrative skills).