The aim of this study is to examine the effect of virtual reality glasses use on pain, comfort, and psychosocial symptoms in children after hypospadias surgery.
This research was conducted as a randomized controlled trial, with a sample consisting of 62 pediatric patients (intervention group = 31, control group = 31) undergoing hypospadias surgery. Virtual reality headsets were administered to the intervention group postoperatively, while the control group received routine care. Data were collected using a Descriptive Information Form, the Wong-Baker FACES Scale, the Pediatric Comfort Assessment Scale, and the Psychosocial Symptom Identification Scale for Hospitalized Children. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 software package. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, chi-square test, and mixed-design repeated measures analysis were employed for data analysis. Statistical significance was set at p\<0.05.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
62
One hour after the hypospadias surgery was completed and the child arrived at the ward, the children in the intervention group were fitted with Meta Quest 3 VR headsets, the procedure of which had been explained to them beforehand. The "V-SPEEDWAY" car racing game was opened through the headsets, allowing the children to play the game continuously for approximately 15 minutes. During this 15-minute VR experience, no painful medical interventions such as dressing changes or catheter insertion were performed on the child; the child was completely focused on the virtual world.
Children in the control group were not subjected to any technological or additional distracting procedures in the first hour after surgery; they only underwent routine clinical monitoring in the ward.
Medipol University
Istanbul, Beykoz, Turkey (Türkiye)
wong-baker faces scale
The assessment was conducted using the Wong-Baker Faces Scale. On the scale, the lowest score is "0" and the highest is "10." Pain intensity increases as the score rises. When administering the scale, an explanation is provided to the child using facial expressions, and the child is asked to select the expression that best reflects their condition. The scale scores are interpreted as follows: 0 = no pain; 2 = mild pain; 4 = some pain; 6 = distinct pain; 8 = severe pain; and 10 = unbearable pain.
Time frame: 1 hour after surgery/before and after application/2 times a day/10-15 minutes
pediatric comfort assessment scale
The assessment was conducted using the pediatric comfort assessment scale. It evaluates 5 parameters: sounds, motor movements, performance, facial expressions and other. Each item is evaluated on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 to 4 (0/Not Available, 1/No, 2/Somewhat, 3/Moderate, 4/Strong) from bad to good. Higher scores indicate a higher level of comfort.
Time frame: 1 hour after surgery/before and after application/2 times a day/10-15 minutes
Psychosocial symptom assessment scale for hospitalized children
The assessment was conducted using the Psychosocial Symptom Identification Scale for Hospitalized Children. Each item in the 24-item, 3-point Likert-type scale was evaluated as "never," "sometimes," or "frequently" and scored as 0, 1, and 2, respectively. The maximum score obtainable on the scale is 48, and the minimum score is 0. A high scale score indicates the presence of psychosocial problems in the hospitalized child.
Time frame: 1 hour after surgery/before and after application/2 times a day/10-15 minutes
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