The effects of clown intervention on worries and emotional responses in children undergoing surgery

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Child Life Services
• Surgical Patient Care

Background:

• Preoperative anxiety is a common issue in children undergoing surgery.
• Parental anxiety can exacerbate a child's distress.
• Predictors of child response include age, prior hospitalizations, and temperament.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of clown intervention in mitigating preoperative anxiety in children.
• To assess the impact of clown intervention on parental anxiety.
• To identify child-specific factors influencing preoperative emotional responses.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 70 children undergoing minor surgery.
• Comparison between a group receiving clown intervention alongside parental support and a control group with only parental support.
• Assessment of child and parental preoperative worries and affective responses.

Main Results:

• Clown intervention was associated with a significant reduction in children's preoperative worries and negative emotional responses.
• Parental anxiety levels were also notably decreased in the clown intervention group.
• The study highlighted the positive impact of clowning on the overall preoperative experience for both children and parents.

Conclusions:

• Clown intervention is an effective strategy for managing preoperative anxiety in pediatric surgical patients.
• This non-pharmacological approach benefits not only children but also their accompanying parents.
• Integrating creative arts, such as clowning, can improve the emotional care in surgical settings.