DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/FDGR-JZ56
Defense Date
1985
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Health Related Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. Beauty D. Crummette
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of needle play in reducing pre-school children's anxiety concerning injections. The Pre-school Observational Scale of Anxiety was used to measure the degree of anxiety experienced by the children. The hypothesis stated that there would be a significant decrease in anxiety of pre-school children who participated in needle play as compared with the anxiety scores of pre-school children who did not participate in needle play.The sample consisted of 20 pre-school children who were receiving routine health care and injections for immunizations or PPDs (purified protein derivative) at a county health department in the southeast. After obtaining informed consent, children were randomly assigned to either a control group (n = 10) or experimental group (n = 10). The control group was involved in putting together a puzzle with the investigator prior to their injection. The experimental group participated in needle play with the investigator prior to their injection. The Pre-school Observational Scale of Anxiety (POSA) which specifies behavioral indicators of anxiety in children was used on all subjects immediately prior to the actual needle penetration and a score was given to each subject.The scores on the Pre-school Observational Scale of Anxiety showed no statistically significant difference between the control group and the experimental group when analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test. On the basis of these findings, the hypothesis that pre-school children who participate in needle play immediately prior to receiving an injection would show a significant decrease in anxiety when compared to pre-school children who did not-participate in needle play prior to an injection was not accepted.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
6-13-2008