Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 6, 2025
Human Fear Conditioning Conducted in Full Immersion 3-Dimensional Virtual Reality
Published on: August 9, 2010
The effect of virtual reality on pain, anxiety, and fear during burn dressing in children: A randomized controlled
Merve Kaya1, Zeynep Karaman Özlü1
1Department of Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
Aim And Objectives:
Virtual Reality (VR) can be used during painful procedures in children. This research was conducted to determine the effect of VR on the pain, anxiety, and fear levels experienced by patients during burn dressing.
Methods:
A randomized between groups study design was used to test whether VR reduced pain, fear, and anxiety during burn wound cleaning. The experimental (VR group) (n = 33) and the control group (n = 32) were determined using the simple randomization method for the children participating in the study (n = 65). The data were collected using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale, Children's Fear Scale, and State- Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. In addition, oxygen saturation and heart rate measurements were recorded before and after the procedure.
Results:
Using a between groups t-test, burn injured children in the group that received virtual reality (M = 2.6, SD = 1.9, SE= 0.21) showed significantly less pain intensity during burn wound care than the No VR control group (M = 4.2, SD =1.0, SE= 0.19, t = -5.89, p < 0.005). Similarly, the VR group reported significantly lower fear during wound care (M= 2.24, SD = 1.1, SE=0.19) than the No VR control group (M=3.72, SD = 0.6, SE=0.10, t = 6.70, p < 0.005), and on a scale from 0 to 100, patients in the VR group showed significantly less anxiety (36.46, SD = 8.1, SE=1.40) than patients in the No VR group (M= 53.16, SD = 7.4, SE=1.35, t = 8.52, p < 0.005). Heart rate during wound care was significantly lower in the VR group (M=119.60, SD = 8.1, SE=1.40) than in the No VR control group (M=129.56, SD = 10.64, SE=1.88, t = -4.25, p < 0.005). However, no significant difference in Oxygen saturation was found, (VR = 97.03, SD = 0.90, SE= 0.17, vs. No VR = 96.94, SD = 0.29, SE=0.23, t = 0.326, p > 0.05).
Conclusions:
VR is an effective method in reducing pain, fear, and anxiety caused by burn dressing in children aged 7-12. The use of VR during burn dressing was determined to have positive results on some physical and psychological parameters.
