Assessing child life programs: study model with a small number of subjects

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Child Life Services
• Therapeutic Interventions

Background:

• Long-term pediatric patients often experience significant anxiety and lowered self-esteem.
• Nonmedical therapeutic programs aim to mitigate psychological distress in hospitalized children.
• Evaluating the efficacy of such programs is crucial for optimizing patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a child life program on anxiety and self-esteem in pediatric patients.
• To compare outcomes between children participating in the program and a control group.
• To provide a model for evaluating nonmedical therapeutic interventions for children.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design was employed with a small cohort of long-term pediatric patients (N=5) in the intervention group.
• A control group (N=5) was established for comparative analysis.
• Pretest and posttest measures assessed anxiety levels and self-esteem.

Main Results:

• The child life program significantly reduced anxiety and enhanced self-esteem in the intervention group.
• The control group exhibited increased anxiety and stable self-esteem from pretest to posttest.
• A statistically significant difference in anxiety levels was observed between the groups at posttest.

Conclusions:

• The child life program demonstrated efficacy in improving psychological well-being for pediatric patients.
• The findings support the value of child life services in managing anxiety and self-esteem.
• The study provides a framework for future research on therapeutic programs for children.