Effect of play activities on hospitalized children's stress: a randomized clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE
The use of unstructured play as an intervention to help children cope with the stress of a hospitalization period was tested in this randomized clinical trial.


METHODS
Urinary cortisol (a stress marker) was examined in 53 pediatric patients hospitalized for respiratory diseases in a public hospital, divided into two groups that did or did not play.


RESULTS
Boys and girls from the play group, 7-11 years old, showed a decrease in cortisol levels after participating in play activities. In younger participants (4-7 years old) the intervention did not seem as efficient, probably because in this group maturity levels may have influenced how children cognitively engaged in play as a coping strategy.


CONCLUSIONS
The study showed the importance of using interventions that consider age ranges and gender in enhancing coping strategies, as well as the importance of such techniques that are employed by occupational therapists since they are professionals with expertise in the use of activities as therapeutic instruments.
Neurosono, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Brazil. clarissep@terra.com.br
Clarisse
C
Potasz
Maria Jose Vilela
MJ
De Varela
Luciane Coin
LC
De Carvalho
Lucila Fernandes
LF
Do Prado
Gilmar Fernandes
GF
Do Prado
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010988:Play and Playthings; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000652:urine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone