The efficacy of finger puppets, distraction cards and kaleidoscope for reducing anxiety in children undergoing day surgery

Abstract

AimThis study was conducted to determine the efficacy of finger puppets, distraction cards and kaleidoscope for reducing anxiety in children aged 6–12 years who undergoing day surgery in Turkey. MethodsThe study was conducted using the “pre-post test unmatched group model”, one of the quasi-experimental methods. The study was conducted between April 2023 and January 2024 with children aged 6–12 years who were admitted to the pediatric clinic of a hospital for day surgery in the Southern Marmara region of Turkey. A total of 85 children (including 20 children in the control group, 22 children in the finger puppet intervention group, 21 children in the distraction cards intervention group, and 22 children in the kaleidoscope intervention group) who were hospitalized in the pediatric clinic. ResultsIt was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-intervention the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale Child Form (m-YPAS) sub-dimension and total mean scores of the children in the kaleidoscope, finger puppet and distraction cards groups, while there was no difference in the control group children. ConclusionKaleidoscope, finger puppet and distraction cards interventions were found to be effective in reducing preoperative anxiety in children and contributed to the national and world literature. It is recommended that further studies be conducted on the effectiveness of the three methods and that other variables that may affect the child's anxiety be addressed. Contribution to nursing practiceThis finding can be interpreted as significant and positive in demonstrating that anxiety induced by surgical procedures in children can be effectively managed with non-pharmacological methods.