The Effect of Different Audio Distraction Methods on Children's Postoperative Pain and Anxiety

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Pain Management
• Anxiety Reduction

Background:

• Postoperative pain and anxiety are significant concerns in pediatric surgical patients.
• Non-pharmacological interventions are sought to complement pain and anxiety management strategies.
• Auditory distraction presents a potential non-invasive method for managing these symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of different auditory attention distraction methods on postoperative pain.
• To assess the impact of auditory distraction on anxiety levels in children following surgery.
• To compare the effectiveness of classical music, Turkish music, and audiobooks in pediatric pain and anxiety management.

Main Methods:

• A pretest-posttest experimental study design was employed.
• Ninety children undergoing surgery in pediatric surgery clinics participated.
• Data collection involved the Visual Analog Scale, Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children.

Main Results:

• All tested auditory methods (classical music, Turkish music, audiobook) significantly decreased postoperative pain and anxiety.
• Classical music demonstrated the highest efficacy in reducing pain among the intervention groups.
• Auditory distraction proved effective in managing both pain and anxiety states in the postoperative pediatric population.

Conclusions:

• Auditory attention distraction methods are effective in reducing postoperative pain and anxiety in children.
• Classical music is a particularly effective auditory intervention for pediatric postoperative pain.
• These findings support the integration of auditory distraction techniques into routine pediatric postoperative care.