his study aims to evaluate the effects of cartoon viewing and mobile game playing on preoperative anxiety and fear levels in children aged 7-12 years who are hospitalized for appendicitis surgery. The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial with three groups: a cartoon group, a mobile game group, and a control group receiving routine care. Children in the intervention groups will watch a cartoon or play a mobile game for 10 minutes before surgery. Anxiety and fear levels will be measured using validated scales before and after the intervention. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to atraumatic care practices by providing simple and effective non-pharmacological methods to reduce preoperative anxiety and fear in children.
Preoperative anxiety and fear are common among children undergoing surgery and may negatively affect both perioperative outcomes and postoperative recovery. Non-pharmacological, atraumatic care interventions are recommended to minimize psychological distress in pediatric patients. Among these interventions, distraction techniques such as cartoon viewing and mobile game playing are widely used due to their practicality and accessibility. This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the effects of cartoon viewing and mobile game playing on preoperative anxiety and fear levels in children aged 7-12 years diagnosed with appendicitis and admitted to a pediatric surgery unit. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: a cartoon intervention group, a mobile game intervention group, or a control group receiving routine care. Children in the intervention groups will receive a 10-minute distraction intervention (cartoon viewing or mobile game playing) prior to surgery, while the control group will receive standard clinical care without any additional intervention. Anxiety and fear levels will be assessed before and after the intervention using validated measurement tools. This study is expected to provide evidence-based data on the effectiveness of simple, low-cost, and easily applicable non-pharmacological interventions in reducing preoperative anxiety and fear in children. The findings may contribute to the development of atraumatic care practices and improve pediatric surgical care outcomes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
69
Participants will watch the cartoon titled "Şüko is Having Surgery," which explains the surgical process in child-friendly language, on an iPad Mini 6 with headphones for 10 minutes.
Children will be asked to play a game of their choice for 10 minutes on a tablet from among games selected according to their age group and PEGI standards (Head Ball 2, Subway Surfers, and Magic Tiles 3).
Ankara Bilkent City Hospital
Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
RECRUITINGPreoperative Anxiety Level
The Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) will be used. This scale provides an observational assessment across five categories (activity, emotional expressivity, state of arousal, vocalization, and use of parents). Total scores range from 5 to 22, with higher scores indicating higher levels of anxiety.
Time frame: Baseline (upon admission to the pediatric surgery inpatient unit prior to the intervention) and post-intervention (immediately before transfer to the operating room).
Children's Fear Level
The Children's Fear Scale (CFS) will be used. This scale consists of five different facial expressions scored between 0 and 4. A score of 0 indicates "no anxiety/fear," whereas a score of 4 indicates "the highest level of fear."
Time frame: Baseline (upon admission to the pediatric surgery inpatient unit prior to the intervention) and post-intervention (immediately before transfer to the operating room).
Heart Rate
The participants' heart rate will be measured to evaluate physiological stability. The values will be recorded in beats per minute (bpm).
Time frame: Measured at two time points: baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention.
Blood Pressure
The participants' systolic and diastolic blood pressure values will be measured. The values will be recorded in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
Time frame: Measured at two time points: baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention.
Oxygen Saturation
The participants' peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels will be monitored. The values will be recorded as a percentage (%).
Time frame: Measured at two time points: baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention.
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