I have a confession to make. Before my brother was born, I was a desperate lad. We had just moved into a new area of town that I swear had no kids within a five-block radius. I was bored out of my mind sometimes. So, I took to dressing up broomsticks. Then, I'd stick their handles deep down in my sandbox where they could be my constant playmates. When David was finally born and more families with kids moved into the neighborhood, the broomsticks went into the closet, and I was pretty happy.

The brooms definitely weren't invisible friends, but they certainly were imaginary ones. A new project by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is what got me thinking all about the whys and hows of my old imaginary playmates. Espen Klausen, a doctoral student in psychology at the school, is working with Professor Richard H. Passman, to better understand the effects of imaginary friends on the children who dream them up.

"We've seen it in parenting magazines: 'Having imaginary companions are good for kids.' That's my gut feeling too, but there's not enough research to support that statement yet," Klausen says in a new press release. He indicates that until recently, data on this topic has always been has been retrospective -- older children or young adults are asked to remember their experiences.

Instead, he's going to take the topic directly to kids. Children in his study will be asked to invite their imaginary pals into a playroom with them. An additional chair will be provided. In cases where the imaginary companion "didn't come along," the child will be asked if they would like to call them on a toy phone.

"Once we know more, the next question will be, 'Are there times in which you'll want to encourage your child to consult his imaginary companion?" says Klausen. "That's an important question because it will mean that children may be using their mind to understand the idea of another person having a different perspective."

The researchers are seeking mothers and their 3- to 4-year-olds -- whether or not they have imaginary companions -- to participate in the study. Parents can contact Klausen at 414-229-5941 or eklausen@uwm.edu