ReviewJMIR pediatrics and parenting2026
Effectiveness of Digital Storytelling and Immersive Technology Interventions in Reducing Preoperative Anxiety Among Children: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review in JMIR pediatrics and parenting, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07760571 (Screen-delivered Augmented-reality Preparation and Anxiety Before Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy in China), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
Screen-delivered Augmented-reality Preparation and Anxiety Before Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy in China: a Prospective Non-randomized Controlled Study
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPreoperative anxiety affects an estimated 50% to 70% of children undergoing surgery and is associated with poorer perioperative cooperation, increased postoperative distress, and delayed recovery. Digital storytelling and immersive technologies, including virtual reality and augmented reality, have emerged as child-centered preparation tools to improve the preoperative experience.
objectiveThis systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize and critically appraise the available evidence on the effects of these interventions in reducing preoperative anxiety among pediatric patients undergoing elective surgery.
methodsA systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for studies published between January 2015 and June 2025. Randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies evaluating digital storytelling (eg, narrative-based apps or videos) or immersive technologies (eg, virtual reality or augmented reality) were included. Preoperative anxiety was assessed using validated measures such as the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, or Visual Analog Scale. Further, 2 reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool version 2. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed in R using standardized mean differences.
resultsA total of 379 records were identified, and 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies reported lower preoperative anxiety in intervention groups compared with standard care or conventional preparation. Further, 9 studies provided sufficient comparable data for meta-analysis, showing a significant pooled reduction in anxiety favoring digital interventions (standardized mean difference=-0.67, 95% CI -0.93 to -0.41), with substantial heterogeneity (I
conclusionsThis review suggests a trend toward reduced preoperative anxiety among pediatric patients receiving digital storytelling and immersive technology-based interventions. However, the certainty of evidence is limited by substantial heterogeneity, the small number of studies included in the meta-analysis, variability in outcome measures, and overall study quality. Therefore, the pooled estimate should be interpreted with caution. Further high-quality studies using standardized outcomes and robust methodology are needed, including evaluation of parental anxiety and longer-term postoperative effects.
trial registrationPROSPERO CRD420251111293; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251111293.
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