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A computer-compatible method for observing falling asleep behavior of hospitalized children
Insights
Hospitalized children listening to a parent's recorded bedtime story fell asleep faster and exhibited more self-soothing behaviors. This intervention aids coping with nighttime separation anxiety during hospitalization.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Pediatric Nursing
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Hospitalization presents challenges for children, particularly nighttime separation from parents.
- Parental presence or familiar routines can mitigate distress during hospitalization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of a parent-recorded bedtime story on the nighttime separation behaviors of hospitalized children.
- To explore self-soothing mechanisms in children experiencing hospitalization without parental rooming-in.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a family-organizational linkage framework for 18 hospitalized children (ages 3-8).
- Observed children for three consecutive nights during the falling asleep period.
- Implemented a parent-recorded bedtime story intervention for one group on nights two and three.
- Analyzed behavioral data using the Senders Signals and Receivers System.
Main Results:
- Children hearing the recorded story fell asleep significantly sooner (23 vs. 28 minutes).
- The story group displayed more sleepy behaviors and fewer active behaviors.
- Increased duration of contact behaviors was observed in the story group (22 vs. 14 minutes).
Conclusions:
- Parent-recorded bedtime stories facilitate self-soothing behaviors in hospitalized children.
- This intervention appears to be an effective strategy for managing nighttime separation anxiety.
- Findings support the use of familiar auditory stimuli to promote adaptation in pediatric hospital settings.
Abstract:
A family-organizational linkage framework was used to conceptualize the nighttime separation behaviors of 18 hospitalized children, ages 3 to 8, whose parents did not room-in. All children were observed for three consecutive nights during the falling asleep period. A bedtime story, tape recorded by the parent, was played on the second and third nights for one group. Frequency and duration of falling asleep behaviors were recorded and analyzed with the Senders Signals and Receivers System, a computer-compatible method of recording behavioral data. Eight conceptual behavioral categories emerged from the data: sleepy, contact, active, inactive, neutral, communication, distress, and pleasure. The story-children fell asleep sooner (23 minutes vs. 28 minutes), exhibited more sleepy behaviors, and displayed fewer active behaviors. Duration of contact behaviors also was greater in this group (22 minutes vs. 14 minutes). Hospitalized children who hear a bedtime story recorded by a parent appear to use self-soothing behaviors to cope with the separation experience.