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Therapeutic clowning in paediatric practice
Fiona Finlay1, Anna Baverstock2, Simon Lenton3
1Child Health Department, Sirona Care and Health, UK Fiona.finlay@sirona-cic.org.uk.
Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry
|July 16, 2013
Summary
Clown interventions offer a unique, multi-modal approach to pediatric healthcare, positively impacting children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric healthcare
- Medical humanities
- Psychosocial interventions
Background:
- Humor and laughter have been researched for health benefits over 30 years.
- Rigorous evaluation of therapeutic clowning is complex due to its multi-modal nature.
- Clowning impacts medical conditions, procedures, family functioning, and healthcare teams.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the pediatric literature on the effects of clown interventions.
- To examine the impact of clowning on practical procedures and medical conditions in children.
- To assess the effects of clowning within clinical teams.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of the pediatric research on clown interventions.
- Analysis of studies examining clowning's effects on medical procedures and conditions.
- Evaluation of clowning's influence on healthcare professionals and team dynamics.
Main Results:
- Clown interventions help children adapt to hospital environments.
- Clowning distracts from and demystifies painful or frightening procedures.
- Studies show varied effects of clowning on medical conditions and procedures, and within clinical teams.
Conclusions:
- Therapeutic clowning is a complex, multi-modal intervention with potential benefits in pediatric care.
- Clowning complements traditional clinical interventions by providing 'doses of fun'.
- Further research is needed to fully understand and evaluate the impact of clowning in healthcare settings.
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