School Activity for the Reduction of Distress, Pain and Negative Emotions in Children Experiencing Hospital School

Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS180 enrolled

Overview

Aim of present study is to evaluate the efficacy of hospital school experience in the reduction of distress, pain and negative emotion in children from 8 to 12 years old, hospitalized in oncology and pediatric wards. Investigators also want to explore the ideas and opinions of teachers and parents about hospital school service. Hypothesis: the investigators expect a reduction in pain, distress and negative emotions.

The school service into the hospital was born as an attempt to support emotionally, relationally and cognitively the hospitalized children, who have to spend a lot of time alone, without being educated by teachers with their classmates. There are not many studies in the Italian contest about this issue and with the present study the investigators intended to implement the acknowledgement about this theme. The principal aim of this study is to explore if the school service reduces negative emotions experienced by oncological children as well as perceived pain and distress. To evaluate this aims, the investigators organized the study in 3 sections: the first is about the emotions experienced by oncological children between 8 and 12 years old, who benefit from the school service into the hospital; the second is about their parents' opinions and believes about the hospital school service; the third is about opinions, training and educational method dedicated by hospital school teachers and not hospital school teachers (who previously thought to our oncology children sample).

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

180

Conditions

Hospital School Experience

Interventions

Hospital School Experience, point of view of the childrenOTHER

Operators of the PANAS-C, PH-C and VAS ask the children to answer the questionnaire before/after the school lesson; then they ask the children to make 2 paintings about hospital and not hospital school experience.

Hospital School Experience, point of view of the hospital teachersOTHER

operators interview hospital teachers and make them complete a questionnaire (CEESQ)

Hospital School Experience, point of view of the non hospital teachersOTHER

operators interview the teachers and make them complete a questionnaire (CEESQ)

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 8 YearsMax age: 12 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria for children: * age between 8 and 12 years old * knowledge of Italian language * consent for study participation * recovery * be/not be in contact with classmates (group A and group B) Exclusion Criteria for Children: * patients who have already had hospital school experience in the past * cognitive disability * patients that cannot complete the study because of health or mental issues incoming during the period of the research Inclusion criteria for hospital teachers: * Italian knowledge * Being a hospital teacher Exclusion criteria for hospital teachers: \- Have earlier experience as a hospital children in other hospitals Inclusion criteria for not hospital teachers: * Italian knowledge * Being a teacher of the hospitalized children in the past or present time exclusion criteria for not hospital teachers: * A past experience as a hospital teacher Inclusion criteria for parents: * Italian knowledge * consent for study participation * Health or mental issues that can cause problems in completing questionnaires or answering questions Exclusion criteria for parents: * Cognitive disability * Health or mental issues that can cause problems in completing questionnaires or answering questions

Locations (1)

Meyer Chidren's Hospital

Florence, Firenze, Italy

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Positive and Negative affect before/after hospital school experience

PANAS - C (Positive and Negative Affect Scale for Children): original version by Laurent (1999), italian version by Ciucci and collaborators. 30-item numerical scale assessing two dimensions (positive and negative affect, 15-item each) on a 5 point likert scale. Validated for children between 8 and 12 years old. Aim of this scale is to evaluate the presence of positive and negative emotions before/after an experience/activity.

Time frame: PANAS - C is completed by the child before and after the school experience (average 3 months); it takes around 5 minutes for each investigation.

Change in Distress level before/after hospital school experience

PH - C (Psychological Hyperarousal Scale for Children): original version by Laurent (2004), italian version by Ciucci and collaborators. Numerical scale composed by 18 items measured on a 5 point Likert Scale. Aim of this scale is to evaluate the presence/absence of distress before and after the activity.

Time frame: PH - C is completed by the child before and after the school experience (average 3 months); it takes around 3 minutes for each investigation.

Change in Pain level before/after hospital school experience

visual analogue scale (VAS) for children, by Scott, Ansell, \& Huskisson (1977). It's a likert scale measuring perceived pain from 0 (no pain) to 10 (maximum pain).

Time frame: VAS is completed by the child before and after the school experience (average 3 months); it takes around 30 seconds for each investigation.

Secondary Outcomes

explorative interview for parents

it's a partially structured interview concerning ideas and opinions of parents about hospital school service

Time frame: Investigators interview the parent in a silent and private room within 1 year after child's recruiting

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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