Short State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Research Articles

Comparing a Virtual Reality-Based Simulation App (VR-MRI) With a Standard Preparatory Manual and Child Life Program for Improving Success and Reducing Anxiety During Pediatric Medical Imaging: Randomized Clinical Trial.

BackgroundThe experience of undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be anxiety provoking, particularly for pediatric patients and their families. Alternative methods to improve success and experiences without the use of sedation are needed.ObjectiveThis study aims to compare the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR)—based simulation app (VR-MRI) with a standard preparatory manual (SPM) and a hospital-based Child Life Program (CLP) on success and anxiety during a simulated pediatric MRI scan. Our secondary aim is to compare caregivers’ reported anxiety, procedural data, caregiver usability, child satisfaction, and fun.MethodsThis unblinded, randomized, triple-arm clinical trial involved 92 children aged 4-13 years and their caregivers. Recruitment was conducted through posters, public libraries, community centers, and social media. At a 2-hour session, participants were instructed to prepare for a simulated MRI head scan using one of three randomly assigned preparation materials: the VR-MRI app, SPM, or the CLP. Data were collected before preparation, during a simulated MRI head scan, and after the simulated scan. The primary outcomes were the success of the simulated MRI scan (MoTrak head motion tracking system), and child-reported anxiety (Venham picture test). We secondarily measured caregivers’ reported anxiety (short State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), procedural data (minutes), usability (Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of Use Questionnaire), and child-reported satisfaction and fun (visual analog scales).ResultsA total of 84 participants were included in the final analysis (VR-MRI: 30/84, 36%; SPM: 24/84, 29%; and CLP: 30/84, 36%). There were no clinically significant differences between the groups in terms of success during the MRI simulation (P=.27) or the children’s reported anxiety at any timepoint (timepoint 1, P=.99; timepoint 2, P=.008; timepoint 3, P=.10). Caregivers reported being significantly more anxious after preparing with the manual than caregivers in the other 2 groups (P<.001). Child and caregiver anxiety had a significant relationship, increasing together with moderate effect (r84=0.421; P<.001). Participants using VR-MRI took the most time to prepare (P<.001) and participants using the manual took the least time (P<.001). No statistically significant relationships were found between time preparing and time completing the simulated assessment (P=.13). There were no differences found in ease of use (P=.99), ease of learning (P=.48), and usefulness (P=.11) between the groups; however, caregivers reported being significantly more satisfied with the VR-MRI app and CLP than SPM (P<.001). Children reported the most satisfaction with the CLP (P<.001). There were no differences in how much fun the preparation materials were perceived to be (P=.37).ConclusionsDigital preparation experiences using VR-based media could be a viable solution to improve the success of nonsedated MRI scans, with outcomes comparable with hospital-based in-person preparatory programs. Future research should focus on validating the results in a real MRI setting.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT03931382; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03931382

Changes in empowerment and anxiety of patients and parents during genetic counselling for epilepsy.

Genetic testing and counselling are increasingly important in epilepsy care, aiming at finding a diagnosis, understanding aetiology and improving treatment and outcome. The psychological impact of genetic counselling from patients' or parents' perspectives is, however, unknown. We studied the counselee-reported outcome of genetic counselling before and after genetic testing for epilepsy by evaluating empowerment - a key outcome goal of counselling reflecting cognitive, decisional and behavioural control, emotional regulation and hope - and anxiety. We asked patients or their parents (for those <16 years or intellectually disabled) referred for genetic testing for epilepsy in two university hospitals between June 2014 and 2017 to complete the same two questionnaires at three timepoints: before and after pre-test counselling and after post-test counselling. Empowerment was measured with the Genetic Counselling Outcome Scale (GCOS-18); anxiety with the short State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6). A total of 63 participants (55 parents with the age of 29-66 years; 8 patients with the age of 21-42 years) were included in our study. Empowerment significantly increased during the genetic counselling trajectory with a medium effect size (p<0.001, d=0.57). A small but significant increase in empowerment was already seen after pre-test counselling (p=0.038, d=0.29). Anxiety did not change significantly during the counselling trajectory (p=0.223, d=-0.24). Our study highlights that patients with epilepsy or their parents show a clinically relevant increase in empowerment after genetic counselling. Empowerment was already increased after pre-test counselling, suggesting the importance of counselling before initiating genetic testing for epilepsy. However, individual differences in changes in empowerment and anxiety were seen, suggesting that counselling could be further improved, based on individual needs.

A Magic Therapy Program to Alleviate Anxiety in Pediatric Inpatients.

Hospitalization generates increased psychological discomfort for children and their caregivers. This anxiety can affect the patient-caretaker response to the health care team and the course of treatment. We aim to evaluate the impacts of a magic therapy program, organized and facilitated by medical students, on alleviating pediatric inpatient and caregiver anxiety. Patients aged 5 to 16 years admitted to an inpatient pediatric unit and their caregivers were eligible for inclusion. Patient-caregiver pairs were randomly assigned to a magic therapy intervention group or a control group. Anxiety was measured before and after the intervention by using validated self-report tools. The Facial Image Scale and Venham Picture Test were used to measure anxiety for young patients, the short State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Facial Image Scale were used for older patients, and the short State-Trait Inventory was used for caregivers. A subset of the intervention group was reevaluated at 1 hour posttherapy. Health professionals were also surveyed regarding their opinions of the program. One hundred patients and 90 caregivers were enrolled. The patient magic group's standardized anxiety was reduced by 25% (n = 47; P < .001) posttherapy. The caregiver magic group's anxiety was reduced by 24% (n = 34; P < .001). Data suggest that anxiety reductions lasted through at least 1 hour posttherapy. Physicians (n = 9), nurses (n = 8), and pediatric residents (n = 20) supported program continuance, reported favorable impressions, and suggested patient, caregiver, and staff benefits. Integration of a magic therapy program into pediatric inpatient care was feasible and successful in decreasing patient and caretaker anxiety. Health care professionals support the program's continuance.

Validation of the Short State Trait Anxiety Inventory (Short STAI) Completed by Parents to Explore Anxiety Levels in Children

ABSTRACTWhile the healthcare setting is commonly associated with some level of anxiety, this can extend to toxic harmful anxiety that has the potential to have a negative long-term effect on a child’s anxiety and coping mechanisms, if not addressed adequately by healthcare professionals. For healthcare professionals to intervene in a timely basis and address anxiety in children in hospital, it is important that they have valid and reliable tools that enable them to measure anxiety in the first place. The purpose of this study is to present the findings of the reliability tests of the Short-STAI to measure anxiety levels in children, comparing the results with the measurements derived from the other two reliable methods utilized in the same study which are the vital signs and the MYPAS (the Modified Yale Perioperative Anxiety Survey). The validity testing was carried out in an RCT that used the S-STAI, in which 88 surveys were completed by parents of children who had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. All of the children were between 4 and 7 years of age. The relationships between variables were investigated and 25 showed a positive correlation between all items. Cronbach’s α for the entire scale was 0.79. This study has identified that the S-STAI is a reliable tool for parent report of a child’s anxiety in the peri-operative period.

The Effects of Perioperative Music Interventions in Pediatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

ObjectiveMusic interventions are widely used, but have not yet gained a place in guidelines for pediatric surgery or pediatric anesthesia. In this systematic review and meta-analysis we examined the effects of music interventions on pain, anxiety and distress in children undergoing invasive surgery.Data SourcesWe searched 25 electronic databases from their first available date until October 2014.Study SelectionIncluded were all randomized controlled trials with a parallel group, crossover or cluster design that included pediatric patients from 1 month to 18 years old undergoing minimally invasive or invasive surgical procedures, and receiving either live music therapy or recorded music.Data Extraction and Synthesis4846 records were retrieved from the searches, 26 full text reports were evaluated and data was extracted by two independent investigators.Main Outcome MeasuresPain was measured with the Visual Analogue Scale, the Coloured Analogue Scale and the Facial Pain Scale. Anxiety and distress were measured with an emotional index scale (not validated), the Spielberger short State Trait Anxiety Inventory and a Facial Affective Scale.ResultsThree RCTs were eligible for inclusion encompassing 196 orthopedic, cardiac and day surgery patients (age of 1 day to 18 years) receiving either live music therapy or recorded music. Overall a statistically significant positive effect was demonstrated on postoperative pain (SMD -1.07; 95%CI-2.08; -0.07) and on anxiety and distress (SMD -0.34 95% CI -0.66; -0.01 and SMD -0.50; 95% CI -0.84; - 0.16.Conclusions and RelevanceThis systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that music interventions may have a statistically significant effect in reducing post-operative pain, anxiety and distress in children undergoing a surgical procedure. Evidence from this review and other reviews suggests music therapy may be considered for clinical use.

Assessing Children's Anxiety Using the Modified Short State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Talking Mats: A Pilot Study

Background. Preoperative anxiety complicates treatment and requires assessment by nurses in children. Children, with or without disability, are helped when pictures are used to support communication. The purpose of this pilot study was to test the reliability and validity of the modified short State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) using a modified Talking Mats method in children undergoing day surgeries. Method. A modified short STAI with pictorial support along the lines of the Talking Mats method was pre- and postoperatively administered to 42 typically developing children aged three to nine years. The parents assessed the children's anxiety, simultaneously and independently, by scoring the short STAI by proxy. Results. The modified short STAI showed moderate internal consistency and good construct validity in the age group seven to nine years. Conclusions. The results of this study support the use of the instrument for self-reports in children aged seven to nine years. Future research will explore the possibilities of also using this instrument for children with cognitive and communicative difficulties.

Mätning av barns oro vid undersökning eller behandling på sjukhus — en studie som utvärderar short STAI

Purpose: The purpose was to investigate the validity and reliability of short STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) for measuring children's anxiety in connection with procedures in hospital. Backgr ...