The Effect of Training with Models and Videos on Decreasing Fears of Children for Medical Procedures: A Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

Purpose: Evaluating the effect of training given for decreasing medical fears of 7–14-year-old children treated in pediatric services. Method: Semi-experimental study including pre- and posttest control-group. The universe was 2289 children and treated in pediatric services of Afyon Karahisar State Hospital. Sample size was 90 children divided 45-by-45 both in the experimental- and control-groups. Descriptive Information Form, Medical Procedure Fear Scale (MPFS), training-videos, -brochure and -model were used to collect data. Results: It was determined that 68.9% of the children in the experimental and control groups were in the 7-10 age group, and 31.1% were in the 11-14 age group. It was found that 60% of the children in the experimental and control groups were girls. No statistical difference was found between the children in the experimental and control groups in terms of demographic characteristics. Statistically significant difference was found between the children in the experimental and control groups in terms of their total mean scores from MPFS (p<0.001), and also mean scores from the subscales of MPFS such as procedural, environmental, personal and interpersonal items following training (p<0.001). Conclusion: Training program given to hospitalized children reduced their fears at an advanced level.