SynthesisItalian journal of pediatrics2023
Active versus passive distraction for reducing procedural pain and anxiety in children: a meta-analysis and systematic review.
Synthesis in Italian journal of pediatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
The Effect of Watching Video and Blowing Paper Pinwheels on Pain and Fear in Children Undergoing Venipuncture.
Use of a Handheld Tool for Active Distraction of Children and Adolescents During Painful Procedures
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Drawing and visual art interventions for anxiety in children aged 5-12: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.BMJ paediatrics open · 2026Pooled it
- Age matters in pediatric pain care: Bayesian meta-reanalysis of virtual reality trials.Pediatric research · 2026Pooled it
- The effect of the liquid motion bubbler timer soothing sensory toy on children's fear and anxiety levels during blood sampling: a randomized clinical trial.BMC psychology · 2026Trial
- Evaluating the use of augmented reality in alleviating anxiety and pain in children during intraoral injection administration: a randomized-controlled trial.European archives of paediatric dentistry : official journal of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry · 2026Trial
- Effect of stress-ball play on pain and physiological responses during port-a-cath needle insertion in children undergoing chemotherapy: a randomized controlled trial.BMC pediatrics · 2026Trial
- The effect of electric ride-on cars use during transport to the operating room on preoperative anxiety in children: a cluster randomized controlled trial.Pediatric surgery international · 2026Trial
- The effect of therapeutic play with teddy bear on children's pain, anxiety, and mothers' anxiety during peripheral intravenous catheterisation: a randomised clinical trial.BMC pediatrics · 2025Trial
- The Effectiveness of Bubble-Blowing as a Distraction Technique During Pediatric Intravenous Cannulation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Paediatric anaesthesia · 2025Trial
- Assessment of smartphone-based active distraction in association with audioanalgesia for overcoming airotor-related anxiety in children: a randomized controlled trial.BMC research notes · 2025Trial
- The Use of Extended Reality Distraction Methods During Needle-Related Procedures in Pediatric Hospital Care-Children's Experiences.Journal for specialists in pediatric nursing : JSPN · 2026Article
- Virtual reality paired with nitrous oxide for procedural pain in children: a randomized controlled trial.Pain reports · 2026Article
- Entertainment interventions for pediatric fracture patients during cast room procedures: a scoping review.Translational pediatrics · 2026Review
- Virtual Reality Versus Monitor-Based Distraction in Children with Mild Intellectual Disability: A Preliminary Comparative Observational Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Exploring experiences and needs among children with cancer undergoing peripherally inserted central catheter insertion: A qualitative study.Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing · 2025Article
- Effects of Cold and Vibration on Venipuncture Pain Management in Children Aged 2-7 Years Old: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2025Article
- Prevalence, factors associated and management of needle phobia among the general population in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.BMC psychiatry · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundProcedural pain is very important in clinical children care. We aimed to evaluate the effects of active versus passive distraction for reducing procedural pain and anxiety in children.
methodsTwo researchers searched the Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, SinoMed, Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Weipu databases for the randomized controlled trials(RCTs) on the active versus passive distraction affecting procedural pain and anxiety in children until May 18, 2023. The literature screening and data extraction were carried out by two researchers independently. Review Manager 5.3 software was used for data analysis.
results13 RCTs were finally included. 553 children received active distraction intervention and 551 children received passive distraction intervention. There were no significant differences in the children self-reported procedural pain betweent active and passive distraction. The parent-reported procedural pain, medical staff-reported procedural pain, children-reported procedural anxiety, parent-reported procedural anxiety, medical staff-reported procedural anxiety in the active distraction were significant less than that of active distraction. Egger regression analysis showed that there was no publication bias in the results.
conclusionsExisting evidence suggests that active distraction may be more effective in reducing operational pain and anxiety in children than passive distraction. More studies on the effects of active distraction versus passive distraction in children with larger sample size are needed in the future.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.