The Impact of My Little Pony on Children’s Mental Health

Research Article
Open access

The Impact of My Little Pony on Children’s Mental Health

Jiajun Tan 1*
  • 1 Hubei University of Technology    
  • *corresponding author tanjiajun_0104@163.com
Published on 13 June 2025 | https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/2025.23826
LNEP Vol.99
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-183-9
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-184-6

Abstract

In an era where animations significantly influence children’s development, My Little Pony has become a globally popular children’s animation. This study focuses on how the positive values in the series affect children’s mental health. Drawing on social learning theory, this study examines how these values influence children’s mental health through content analysis on specific episodes such as Hearth’s Warming Eve and the stories of Applejack and Fluttershy. The analysis finds that the animation improves three key mental health outcomes in the domain of social-emotional skill development, emotion regulation, and self-awareness. However, the paper also has limitations. The real-world social complexity and emotional problems are oversimplified and may lead to children’s unrealistic self-awareness. In conclusion, given these findings, educators should integrate My Little Pony into mental health education programs while supplementing these programs with real-world examples to address risks of unrealistic self-awareness. The study also provides a foundation for future research on utilizing animated content to support children’s psychological education.

Keywords:

children’s mental health, social-emotional learning, My Little Pony

Tan,J. (2025). The Impact of My Little Pony on Children’s Mental Health. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,99,1-6.
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References

[1]. Huang, X. T., & Zheng, Y. et al. (2005). Values and Education of Contemporary Chinese Youth. People’s Education Press, Beijing.

[2]. Zhu, Z. X. (1993). Child Psychology. People’s Education Press, Beijing.

[3]. Zhao, H. X. (2005). The Influence of Cartoon Culture on the Values of Adolescents. China Youth Study, 10, 50-51. https://doi.org/10.19633/j.cnki.11-2579/d.2005.10.014

[4]. Han, Y. Q., & Feng, Y. X. (2023). Guidance and Practice of Social-Emotional Learning for Preschool Children in Wisconsin, USA. Chinese Teachers, (11), 121-124.

[5]. Deng, C. P., & Dai, J. B. (1999). A Review of Research on the Development of Children’s Social Cognitive Structure. Psychological Science, (02), 160-163. doi:10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.1999.02.017.

[6]. Dai, X. (2015). A Study of How Cartoons Influence Children’s Mental Development [Master’s thesis, Hunan University of Science and Technology]. https://kns.cnki.net/kcms2/article/abstract?v=Zw74qSZOFgjDFacRg2L_bd9rvV66BQdmwdjdOHFuTfK-xXeWmotRTUqDJiQ2shdKggaFG-cHmzAPJDkGgMs12fhUdBJq0xnitY9L5s84RBO0q0MEO90Y78qGqyCpnyDPlIBx6dgqJEDO9Fo-h-Zcb-y5RAd6owd8FqafBg6ZL91HHyLqIJ_2KDcwP2jJwZgN3ti4WrVfl2U=&uniplatform=NZKPT&language=CHS

[7]. Huang, Y. L. (2024). Research on Strategies for Improving Preschool Children’s Emotional Regulation from the Perspective of Theory of Mind. New Wisdom, (30).

[8]. Tian, L. X. (2022). An Experimental Study on the Promotion of Young Children’s Emotional Regulation Ability Development through Theme-based Cartoons [Master’s thesis, Tianshui Normal University]. https://doi.org/10.27868/d.cnki.gtsxx.2022.000117

[9]. Wang, M. X., & Li, Y. P. (2024). Research Progress on the Assessment of Temperament, Self-awareness, and Behavioral Problems in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The Journal of Medical Theory and Practice, 15, 255-2558. https://doi.org/10.19381/j.issn.1001-7585.2024.15.010

[10]. Duan, X. K., & Yin, J. (2014). The Influence of Animation on Children’s Cognitive Development. Popular Literature and Art, 10, 243. https://doi.org/10.20112/j.cnki.issn1007-5828.2014.10.211

[11]. Ji, J. M. (2019). Exploring the Role of Cartoons in the Mental Health Growth of Primary School Children. Popular Literature and Art, 6, 249-250. https://doi.org/10.20112/j.cnki.issn1007-5828.2019.06.182

Cite this article

Tan,J. (2025). The Impact of My Little Pony on Children’s Mental Health. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,99,1-6.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Education Innovation and Psychological Insights

ISBN：978-1-80590-183-9(Print) / 978-1-80590-184-6(Online)
Editor：Kurt Buhring
Conference website: https://2025.iceipi.org/
Conference date: 20 August 2025
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.99
ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. Huang, X. T., & Zheng, Y. et al. (2005). Values and Education of Contemporary Chinese Youth. People’s Education Press, Beijing.

[2]. Zhu, Z. X. (1993). Child Psychology. People’s Education Press, Beijing.

[3]. Zhao, H. X. (2005). The Influence of Cartoon Culture on the Values of Adolescents. China Youth Study, 10, 50-51. https://doi.org/10.19633/j.cnki.11-2579/d.2005.10.014

[4]. Han, Y. Q., & Feng, Y. X. (2023). Guidance and Practice of Social-Emotional Learning for Preschool Children in Wisconsin, USA. Chinese Teachers, (11), 121-124.

[5]. Deng, C. P., & Dai, J. B. (1999). A Review of Research on the Development of Children’s Social Cognitive Structure. Psychological Science, (02), 160-163. doi:10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.1999.02.017.

[6]. Dai, X. (2015). A Study of How Cartoons Influence Children’s Mental Development [Master’s thesis, Hunan University of Science and Technology]. https://kns.cnki.net/kcms2/article/abstract?v=Zw74qSZOFgjDFacRg2L_bd9rvV66BQdmwdjdOHFuTfK-xXeWmotRTUqDJiQ2shdKggaFG-cHmzAPJDkGgMs12fhUdBJq0xnitY9L5s84RBO0q0MEO90Y78qGqyCpnyDPlIBx6dgqJEDO9Fo-h-Zcb-y5RAd6owd8FqafBg6ZL91HHyLqIJ_2KDcwP2jJwZgN3ti4WrVfl2U=&uniplatform=NZKPT&language=CHS

[7]. Huang, Y. L. (2024). Research on Strategies for Improving Preschool Children’s Emotional Regulation from the Perspective of Theory of Mind. New Wisdom, (30).

[8]. Tian, L. X. (2022). An Experimental Study on the Promotion of Young Children’s Emotional Regulation Ability Development through Theme-based Cartoons [Master’s thesis, Tianshui Normal University]. https://doi.org/10.27868/d.cnki.gtsxx.2022.000117

[9]. Wang, M. X., & Li, Y. P. (2024). Research Progress on the Assessment of Temperament, Self-awareness, and Behavioral Problems in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The Journal of Medical Theory and Practice, 15, 255-2558. https://doi.org/10.19381/j.issn.1001-7585.2024.15.010

[10]. Duan, X. K., & Yin, J. (2014). The Influence of Animation on Children’s Cognitive Development. Popular Literature and Art, 10, 243. https://doi.org/10.20112/j.cnki.issn1007-5828.2014.10.211

[11]. Ji, J. M. (2019). Exploring the Role of Cartoons in the Mental Health Growth of Primary School Children. Popular Literature and Art, 6, 249-250. https://doi.org/10.20112/j.cnki.issn1007-5828.2019.06.182

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