Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36421211›Full record

ArticleChildren (Basel, Switzerland)2022

The Effect of Robot-Led Distraction during Needle Procedures on Pain-Related Memory Bias in Children with Chronic Diseases: A Pilot and Feasibility Study.

Emma Rheel, Tine Vervoort, Anneleen Malfliet, Jutte van der Werff Ten Bosch, Sara Debulpaep, Wiert Robberechts, Evelyn Maes, Kenza Mostaqim, Melanie Noel, Kelly Ickmans

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Children (Basel, Switzerland), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Artificial intelligence in pediatric pain: a systematic review.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2026
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Hospital-Based Robotic Applications in Nursing Practice: A Scoping Review.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Emma RheelPain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-5299-261X
Tine VervoortDepartment of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Anneleen MalflietPain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0003-0598-7038
Jutte van der Werff Ten BoschDepartment of Pediatrics, University Hospital Brussels, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
Sara DebulpaepPediatric Department, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-2428-1578
Wiert RobberechtsDepartment of Pediatrics, University Hospital Brussels, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
Evelyn MaesPediatric Department, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Kenza MostaqimPain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
Melanie NoelDepartment of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T3S, Canada.
Kelly IckmansPain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0003-0751-6504
Vrije Universiteit Brussel · BEGhent University Hospital · BEUniversity of Calgary · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The current study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary clinical impact of robot-led distraction during needle procedures in children with chronic diseases on pain-related memories. Participants were 22 children (8−12 years old) diagnosed with a chronic disease (e.g., chronic immune deficiency) and undergoing a needle procedure as part of their routine treatment. Children were randomized to the experimental group (i.e., robot-led distraction) or control group (i.e., usual care). For feasibility, we evaluated study- and needle-procedure-related characteristics, intervention fidelity and acceptability, and nurse perceptions of the intervention. Primary clinical outcomes included children’s memory bias for pain intensity and pain-related fear (1 week later). Results indicated that intervention components were >90% successful. Overall, the robot-led distraction intervention was perceived highly acceptable by the children, while nurse perceptions were mixed, indicating several challenges regarding the intervention. Preliminary between-group analyses indicated a medium effect size on memory bias for pain intensity (Hedges’ g = 0.70), but only a very small effect size on memory bias for pain-related fear (Hedges’ g = 0.09), in favor of the robot-led distraction intervention. To summarize, while feasible, certain challenges remain to clinically implement robot-led distraction during needle procedures. Further development of the intervention while accounting for individual child preferences is recommended.

Indexed as

childrendistractionfeasibilityhumanoid robotneedle procedurepain memory

Identifiers

PMID36421211
PMCPMC9688830
OpenAlexW4309613451

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.