Alteration of memory in the reduction of children's distress during repeated aversive medical procedures.
The present study sought to reduce children's distress during aversive medical procedures using a brief, cost-effective intervention aimed at reframing memory. Fifty children diagnosed with leukemia (25 treatment, 25 attention control, aged 3-18) were observed as they underwent 3 consecutive lumbar punctures (LPs; baseline, postintervention, and follow-up). Self-report, physiological, and observable distress measures were collected before and after each LP. At posttreatment, children in the intervention group showed reductions in anticipatory physiological and self-report ratings relative to the control group. At follow-up, these effects generalized to reductions in procedural distress. These results suggest that (a) a simple memory-based intervention is efficacious at reducing children's distress and (b) benefits from this intervention are maintained over 1 week even without continued intervention.
Chen
E
E
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
Zeltzer
L K
LK
Craske
M G
MG
Katz
E R
ER
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000191:economics; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000523:psychology*; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012803:Sick Role; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000523:psychology*; D013404:Suggestion