Clown intervention to reduce preoperative anxiety in children and parents: a randomized controlled trial.
This study investigated whether a clown doctor intervention could reduce preoperative anxiety in children hospitalized for minor surgery and in their parents. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 77 children and 119 parents: the clown group consisted of 52 children accompanied in the preoperating room by their parents (n = 89) and two clowns while the comparison group consisted of children accompanied by the parents only. The clown intervention significantly reduced the children's preoperative anxiety: children benefited from the clown's presence and showed better adjustment than children in the comparison group. Mothers in Comparison Group showed higher anxiety.
University of Macerata, Italy.
Alberto
A
Dionigi
Diego
D
Sangiorgi
Roberto
R
Flangini
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014925:Wit and Humor as Topic / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
children’s preoperative anxiety; clown intervention; complementary and alternative medicine; humor; parental anxiety