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Therapeutic play for hospitalized preschoolers in Lebanon
1School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
Insights
Therapeutic play, using puppet shows, significantly reduced anxiety and stress in preschool children before surgery. This intervention also led to faster recovery and better behavior post-hospitalization.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Child Life Services
- Healthcare Interventions
Background:
- Hospitalization and surgery pose significant stressors for preschool children.
- Preoperative anxiety and behavioral changes are common in pediatric patients.
- Limited research exists on the effectiveness of therapeutic play in Middle Eastern pediatric settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic play in reducing preoperative anxiety and stress in preschool children undergoing surgery.
- To assess the impact of therapeutic play on physiological and behavioral responses during hospitalization and post-discharge.
- To investigate the role of interactive puppet shows as a therapeutic intervention for pediatric surgical patients.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 100 preschool children (50 intervention, 50 control) in a Lebanese hospital.
- The intervention group received therapeutic play (interactive puppet show) one day before surgery.
- Physiological (blood pressure, pulse rate, voiding time) and behavioral measures (Post Hospital Behavior Questionnaire) were assessed at multiple time points.
Main Results:
- Children receiving therapeutic play showed significantly lower anxiety and higher cooperation during a preoperative injection.
- Intervention group exhibited significantly lower mean blood pressures and pulse rates during the injection compared to controls.
- Post-surgery, the therapeutic play group had a shorter bladder voiding time, indicating reduced stress.
- After discharge, children who received therapeutic play had significantly lower scores on all factors of the Post Hospital Behavior Questionnaire.
Conclusions:
- Therapeutic play, specifically interactive puppet shows, is an effective method for mitigating stress and anxiety in preschool children facing surgery.
- The intervention positively impacts physiological and behavioral outcomes, contributing to a less traumatic hospital experience.
- Findings support the integration of therapeutic play into pediatric care protocols, particularly in diverse cultural contexts like Lebanon.
Abstract:
Therapeutic play in the form of an interactive puppet show was administered to 50 preschool children one day before surgery in a hospital in Lebanon. A control group of 50 preschool children received routine care but no therapeutic play. Physiological and behavioral measures were assessed on admission, at the time of a stressful procedure (preoperative injection), after surgery, and after discharge. Although on admission there had been on significant differences between the means on physiological measures for the two groups, the children who received the therapeutic play intervention manifested markedly less anxiety and more cooperation and had significantly lower mean blood pressures and pulse rates during the injection than the control group. Following surgery, the experimental group took less time to void their bladders, another physiological indication of lower stress level. After hospital discharge, the children who had received therapeutic play had significantly lower scores on all six factors of the Post Hospital Behavior Questionnaire. This study demonstrates that therapeutic play is a valid means of reducing stressful responses to hospitalization and surgery among children in Lebanon.
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