Trial reportBMC pediatrics2025
Play dough or balloon blowing? A clinical trial comparing creative interventions for reducing preoperative anxiety in children aged 4-8 years.
Trial report in BMC pediatrics, 2025. 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. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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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.
Evaluation of the Effects of Ride-On Toy Car Use During Operating Room Transfer on Preoperative Anxiety and Postoperative Delirium in Preschool Children
Comparison of the Effects of Personal Versus Hospital-Provided Dolls on Preoperative Anxiety and Postoperative Delirium in Preschool Children
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundPreoperative anxiety is a significant concern for pediatric patients undergoing surgery, often leading to adverse physiological, emotional, and postoperative outcomes. Traditional pharmacological approaches, while effective, are associated with side effects, underscoring the need for age-appropriate non-pharmacological interventions. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of play dough (PD) activities and balloon blowing (BB) in reducing preoperative anxiety in children.
methodsThis randomized controlled trial included 90 children aged 4-8 years, a developmental stage characterized by responsiveness to play-based interventions, scheduled for elective surgeries at Besat Hospital, Hamedan, Iran, between November 2023 and January 2025. Participants were randomized into three groups: PD, BB, and Control (standard care with midazolam). Anxiety levels were assessed at baseline (T0), immediately before entering the operating room (T1), and during anesthesia induction (T2) using the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) and the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A). Each intervention was administered for 15 min under direct supervision by a trained researcher. Statistical analysis included ANOVA for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables. Post hoc comparisons were performed using Tukey's method.
resultsAt T1 and T2, children in the PD and BB groups exhibited significantly lower anxiety levels compared to the Control group (P < 0.001). For m-YPAS scores at T1, the PD group mean 36.05 ± 4.28, and the BB group 35.15 ± 2.94, compared to 54.55 ± 4.05 in the Control group. Similar trends were noted at T2. VAS-A analysis further supported these findings, with the PD and BB groups showing higher proportions of mild anxiety compared to the Control group. No significant differences were detected between the PD and BB groups, indicating that both interventions were comparably effective.
conclusionsPD and BB are effective non-pharmacological interventions for reducing preoperative anxiety in children. These cost-effective, engaging techniques offer safe alternatives to pharmacological treatments and promote emotional well-being. The findings support integrating age-appropriate, creative, play-based strategies into pediatric surgical care, emphasizing their potential to enhance the preoperative experience and improve outcomes. Future research should investigate long-term impacts, applicability across diverse populations, and comparative efficacy in various clinical settings.
trial registrationRegistered in the Iranian registry of clinical trials ( https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir ) in 19/11/2023 with the following code: IRCT20230514058183N1.
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