Parental anxiety and stress before pediatric anesthesia: a pilot study on the effectiveness of preoperative clown...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Anesthesiology
• Child Psychology
• Healthcare Intervention

Background:

• Pediatric anesthesia induction can cause significant anxiety in both children and their parents.
• Maternal anxiety and stress are common during the preoperative phase of pediatric procedures.
• The need for effective interventions to mitigate parental distress in pediatric settings is well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a clown intervention in reducing maternal anxiety and stress.
• To assess the impact of clown intervention on maternal state anxiety and somatization tendencies.
• To determine if clown intervention influences perceived stress levels in mothers of children undergoing anesthesia.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 50 children undergoing anesthesia induction.
• Children were assigned to either a clown intervention group (n=25) or a control group (n=25) with routine procedures.
• Maternal anxiety and stress were measured in the waiting room and after child separation, with specific focus on the clown intervention's effect.

Main Results:

• Maternal state anxiety significantly decreased post-separation in the clown intervention group compared to the control group.
• The tendency for somatization did not increase in mothers receiving the clown intervention.
• Mothers of older children showed a significant reduction in perceived stress levels following the clown intervention.

Conclusions:

• Clown intervention demonstrates a positive effect on reducing maternal anxiety and stress in the preoperative period.
• The findings support the integration of clown interventions into clinical-hospital environments to enhance parental well-being.
• This non-pharmacological approach offers a promising strategy for managing preoperative parental distress in pediatric care.