The effects of playing digital games on children’s pain, fear, and anxiety levels during suturing: A randomized controlled study
Muhammet Kavlakci1
, Filiz Ogce2, Tulay Yavan2
1Department Pediatric Emergency, T. R. Ministry Health, Izmir Provincial Health Directorate, Izmir University of Health Sciences, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey
2Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir, Turkey
Keywords: Anxiety, digital game, fear, pain, pediatrics, suturing
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine the effects of digital game play on children’s pain, fear, and anxiety levels during suturing.
METHODS: Data were obtained from 84 children between the ages of 8 and 17 years at the pediatric emergency department between January 16 and March 19, 2020, using the Socio Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Form, the Wong–Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPS), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Fear of Medical Procedures Scale (FMPS), and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI CH). A four block randomization system was used. The study group (n = 42) played digital games during the suturing procedure, unlike the control group (n = 42). Ethical permissions were obtained from the ethical committee, hospital, and families.
RESULTS: Before the suturing procedure, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups’ mean scores. The intervention group was found to have statistically significantly lower WBFPS and VAS pain scores than the control group during the suturing procedure, and after the procedure, statistically significantly lower WBFPS, VAS, FMPS, and STAI CH mean scores than the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: The digital game playing approach applied before and during the suture procedure was found to be effective in reducing children’s pain, fear, and anxiety levels.
How to cite this article: Kavlakci M, Ogce F, Yavan T. The effects of playing digital games on children's pain, fear, and anxiety levels during suturing: A randomized controlled study. Turk J Emerg Med 2023;23:162-8.
The protocol for the research project has been approved by the research ethics committee of İzmir University of Economics prior to the study (Issue No: B.302.IEÜSB.0.05.05‑ 20‑046, Date: 26/11/2019).
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05546463.
The research conforms to the provisions of the Declaration of Helsinki in 1995 (as revised 2013).
All participants gave an informed consent for the research before volunteering and the anonymity was preserved.
MK: Conceptualization(equal), methodology(equal), acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data (lead), writing ‑ original draft (equal), review and edit (equal), final approval (equal), FO: Conceptualization (equal), methodology (equal), analysis and interpretation of data (equal), writing ‑ original draft (equal), review and edit (equal), final approval (equal), TY: Conceptualization (equal), methodology (equal), analysis and interpretation of data (equal), writing ‑ original draft(equal), review and edit (equal), final approval (equal).
None Declared.
None.
An English Language Instructor Simon MUMFORD (his mother tongue is English) (İzmir University of Economics) provided language help on English of the article.