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Updated: Jun 27, 2025
Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
The effect of virtual reality glasses used during intravenous catheter application on the Child's emotional responses
1Pamukkale University Institue of Health Sciences, Nursing Department, Child Health and Diseases Nursing Graduate Program, Denizli, Türkiye.
Insights
Virtual reality (VR) glasses significantly reduced negative emotional responses in children during intravenous catheter insertion. This technology is recommended for pediatric healthcare services.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Child Psychology
- Health Technology
Background:
- Intravenous catheter insertion is a common and often stressful procedure for children in pediatric emergency departments.
- Managing pediatric procedural anxiety is crucial for positive healthcare experiences and adherence to treatment.
- Virtual reality (VR) presents a novel, immersive technology with potential to mitigate procedural distress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of virtual reality (VR) glasses on children's emotional responses during intravenous catheter insertion.
- To compare the emotional manifestations of children using VR with those undergoing the procedure without VR.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled experimental study involving 102 children (7-12 years) in a pediatric emergency department.
- Participants were divided into a control group (no intervention) and a study group (VR glasses during the procedure).
- Children's Emotional Manifestation Scale was used to assess emotional responses during the intravenous catheterization process.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant difference was observed in emotional manifestation scores between the groups (p=0.000).
- Children using VR glasses exhibited significantly lower negative emotional scores compared to the control group.
- VR intervention effectively reduced distress during the painful procedure.
Conclusions:
- Virtual reality (VR) glasses are effective in decreasing negative emotional behaviors in children undergoing intravenous catheter insertion.
- The use of VR technology is a promising advancement in child health services.
- Widespread adoption of VR in pediatric care settings is recommended to improve patient experience and manage procedural anxiety.
Purpose:
This study was conducted to determine the effect of virtual reality glasses used during intravenous catheter insertion on the child's emotional responses.
Design And Methods:
The sample of the research, which was carried out as a randomized controlled experimental study, consisted of 102 children, including 51 in the control group and 51 in the study group, who were aged between 7 and 12 years and were on treatment in the pediatric emergency department(PED). Research data were collected using a Descriptive Data Form for Children and the Children's Emotional Manifestation Scale. No intervention was applied to the control group. After the tourniquet was tied in the study group, the children started watching a video of their choice through virtual reality glasses. When the process was completed, the video was stopped. During this period, the child was evaluated using the Children's Emotional Manifestation Scale.
Results:
A statistically significant difference was found between the Children's Emotional Manifestation Scale scores of the children in the study and control groups (p = 0.000). The scores of the children in the study group were statistically significantly lower than the scores of the children in the control group.
Conclusion:
During the intravenous catheter insertion process, children who watched cartoons on virtual reality glasses showed less negative emotional behavior than those who did not.
Practice Implications:
The use of virtual reality glasses is a developing technology in child health services, and it is recommended to encourage their use in these services.
