Fear

What is this study about, in short? This study looks at simple, no-cost ways to reduce the pain and fear that children aged 6-12 feel when they have blood drawn at the hospital. Two methods are being tested: * A nurse lightly and rhythmically tapping with their fingertips just above the spot where the needle will go ("rhythmic skin tapping"). * The child making an "mmmm" humming sound while the blood is being drawn ("internal vibration" or "humming"). These methods need no medicine and no device, so they can be used easily in any hospital. The study aims to find out whether these two methods really reduce pain and fear, by comparing them with a group that receives no extra method. Why is this study being done? Drawing blood is one of the most common painful procedures in children. Fear of needles is very common and can even lead a person to avoid health care later in life. So it matters to make the blood-draw experience easier for children. Some methods used to reduce pain have practical limits: * Numbing creams must be applied 30-60 minutes before the procedure; they are not practical in urgent situations and add cost. * Special devices that give cold and vibration can work, but they can be expensive, are not always available, and need care for hygiene. For these reasons, there is a need for simple methods that cost nothing, need no device, and can be applied easily in any setting. This study tests exactly that. How do the methods work? (Simple science) Both methods rest on an idea called the "Gate Control Theory": in our body, the sense of touch and vibration competes with the sense of pain on the way to the brain. Gentle touch or mild vibration can act like a "gate" that partly blocks the pain signal from reaching the brain. * Rhythmic skin tapping: Gentle, rhythmic tapping with the fingers may help "close the gate," so the pain is felt less. * Internal vibration (humming): The "mmmm" sound creates a mild vibration in the body. It can also stimulate the calming part of the nervous system, which may lower the heart rate and stress. Taking an active part in the procedure also gives the child a sense of control. Who can take part in the study? Can take part: * Children aged 6-12 years * Children who will have a blood draw * Children whose parent has given written permission and who themselves agree verbally * Children who can understand and speak Turkish * Children whose cognitive development is appropriate for their age * Children who do not have an ongoing (chronic) pain condition Cannot take part, or will be withdrawn: * Children who do not want to take part, or wish to withdraw at any stage * Children who develop a complication (an unexpected medical problem) during the procedure * Children who have used a painkiller within the last 24 hours * Children who have already taken part in this study before * Children whose skin is broken at the site where the needle will go * Children who have a neurological or psychiatric diagnosis What will happen if my child takes part? The blood draw will happen anyway because it is medically needed. The study only adds the method used during the draw and a short measurement afterward. Step by step: * Your child is placed by computer, at random (like drawing lots), into one of three groups. No one can choose the group in advance; this is called "randomization" and it keeps the comparison fair. * The blood draw is done as usual. The only difference is the method used, depending on your child's group. * Right after the procedure, the child is shown two short picture scales: one for pain, with faces ranging from smiling to crying (0-10), and one for fear, also made of faces (0-4). * A short form collects details such as age, sex, and any previous blood-draw experience. * No extra needle, medicine, or laboratory test is done beyond the routine blood draw. The three groups are: Group What is done in this group? 1. Rhythmic skin tapping Gentle, rhythmic tapping with the fingertips just above the needle site. 2. Internal vibration (humming) The child is asked to make an "mmmm" humming sound during the blood draw. 3. Control group The blood draw is done as usual, with no extra method. This group is the comparison point used to measure the effect of the other two methods. Where and when will the study take place? * Place: Kepez State Hospital Blood Collection Outpatient Clinic (Antalya, Türkiye). * Data collection period: June 2026 - June 2027. The total study duration is about 12 months. * Planned number of participants: 126 children in total (42 in each group). This number was set in advance by a statistical calculation so the results would be reliable. Taking part is completely voluntary * Your child does not have to take part. Even if you agree, you may withdraw at any time without giving a reason. * Not taking part, or withdrawing, will not affect the health care your child receives in any way. * Your child may also say they do not want the method; the child's decision is

This pilot randomized controlled trial will evaluate whether a virtual reality (VR) preparation program can improve the perioperative experience of children aged 3 to 12 years undergoing elective surgery. Children scheduled for surgery at HM Hospital in Madrid, Spain, will be randomly assigned to receive either a VR-based educational experience (NixiKit) or the standard preoperative preparation routinely provided by nursing staff. The VR intervention includes an immersive virtual tour of the preoperative area, operating room, and recovery room, designed to familiarize children with the surgical process in an age-appropriate manner. The control group will receive the usual verbal explanation and support provided by nurses before surgery. The study will assess children's fear, preoperative anxiety, cooperation during anesthesia induction, and postoperative pain. Parents' experience and satisfaction with care will also be evaluated. The results of this pilot study will help determine the feasibility and potential effectiveness of VR as a nursing-led preparation strategy for pediatric surgical patients.

his study aims to evaluate the effects of cartoon viewing and mobile game playing on preoperative anxiety and fear levels in children aged 7-12 years who are hospitalized for appendicitis surgery. The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial with three groups: a cartoon group, a mobile game group, and a control group receiving routine care. Children in the intervention groups will watch a cartoon or play a mobile game for 10 minutes before surgery. Anxiety and fear levels will be measured using validated scales before and after the intervention. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to atraumatic care practices by providing simple and effective non-pharmacological methods to reduce preoperative anxiety and fear in children.

Children undergoing leukaemia treatment are exposed to a wide range of chemotherapeutic agents and immunosuppressive therapies during treatment and are therefore at great risk for complications. Mucositis is one of the leading chemotherapy-related complications affecting the quality of life of the child. Although it varies according to the degree of mucositis, oral mucosal erythema, white plaques and ulcers are extremely painful and traumatising procedures for pediatric patients during mucositis care. The pain and fear they experience during the procedure may lead children to delay/not perform oral mucositis care or not allow their parents to do so. Since mucositis is a painful condition in children, it is recommended to use distracting nonpharmacological methods that can help reduce the pain and fear of children during mucositis care. In this context, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of music and virtual reality on pain, anxiety and fear during oral mucositis care in children aged 6-12 years receiving leukaemia treatment. Block randomisation (gender (F/M) and age groups (6-9/10-12) will be used to identify participants. Five minutes before the oral mucositis care procedure, all participants, regardless of group, will be assessed with the Child Anxiety Scale-Disposition (CAS-D), Child Fear Scale and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The study will be conducted in three groups as control group, VR group and music group. Descriptive characteristics of dependent and independent categorical variables will be given as number and percentage, numerical descriptive characteristics will be given as mean and standard deviation. In examining the relationship between dependent and independent variables, Mann Whitney-Kruskal Wallis or Student t-Anova analyses will be performed according to the result of the analysis of conformity to normal distribution. Bonferroni analysis will be used for pairwise comparisons and Covariance analysis will be used to investigate the effect of variables with children.

This randomized controlled trial evaluates a family-centered comfort intervention for children hospitalized in a pediatric intensive care unit. The intervention consists of listening to the mother's voice, environmental light regulation, and use of a weighted blanket, delivered in addition to routine nursing care. Outcomes include child comfort, anxiety, fear, and sleep parameters, as well as parental anxiety and satisfaction with care. The study will determine whether the intervention improves child and parent outcomes compared with routine care.

This research was conducted to determine the effect of a motivational interview-based nursing care program on health beliefs and cancer fears related to cervical cancer and screening in rural women.

Pregnancy is a period characterized by significant physiological and psychosocial changes, during which women adapt to new roles. While some women experience this period with excitement and hope, others may experience anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. Fear of childbirth (tokophobia) is a common condition that can negatively affect women's quality of life, birth preferences, and childbirth experiences. High levels of fear of childbirth have been associated with increased cesarean section rates, negative birth perceptions, and postpartum psychological problems. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a solution-focused childbirth preparation education program based on the Health Belief Model on fear of childbirth and belief in normal birth among primigravida women. Secondary outcomes include pregnancy-related stress and mode of delivery. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving structured education or a control group receiving routine prenatal care. Data will be collected before and after the intervention using validated measurement tools, and delivery outcomes will be recorded after birth. The findings are expected to contribute to improving maternal psychological well-being and promoting positive childbirth experiences.

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training given to adolescent pregnant women and their partners on fear of childbirth, maternal and paternal bonding, and breastfeeding success. Adolescent pregnancy is associated with increased stress, fear of childbirth and parenting anxiety, which negatively affect mother-infant and father-infant bonding and breastfeeding outcomes. MBSR training is expected to reduce fear of childbirth, strengthen maternal and paternal bonding, and improve breastfeeding success in adolescent pregnant women and their partners compared to the control group receiving routine care.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of progressive relaxation exercises, performed with the assistance of a therapeutic clown during the pre-operative period, on fear, anxiety and physiological parameters in children. This randomised controlled trial included children aged 6-10 years undergoing circumcision surgery. The children were randomised into three groups: a progressive relaxation exercise group led by a therapeutic clown, a progressive relaxation group led by a nurse, and a control group. Fear, anxiety and physiological parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation) were assessed before and after the procedure.

This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of a stress ball applied before retrograde intrarenal surgery on patients' anxiety levels, surgical fear, and hemodynamic parameters.

This randomized clinical trial aims to compare two behavior guidance techniques used to reduce anxiety in children during local anesthesia injections in dental treatment. The study evaluates the traditional Tell-Show-Do (TSD) technique versus an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven, avatar-based video method called the "Mini Dentist." Children aged 5 to 7 years who require local anesthesia for routine dental treatment will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The control group will receive the conventional Tell-Show-Do explanation from the pediatric dentist. The experimental group will watch a short animated video featuring an AI-generated avatar that explains and demonstrates the procedure in a child-friendly manner before the injection. Anxiety and behavior will be assessed using heart rate monitoring, behavioral observation (FLACC scale), and a self-reported pain scale (Wong-Baker FACES). The goal is to determine whether the AI-based method improves cooperation and reduces anxiety compared to the traditional approach. Participation is voluntary, and all procedures follow ethical research standards.

University of California, Los Angeles researchers will recruit healthy participants and anxious participants (those diagnosed with social anxiety disorder) age 18-55 years old to participate in a study examining whether the ability of social support figure reminders to enhance the extinction of fear in healthy participants extends to those with anxiety disorders. After being recruited from the UCLA community (healthy participants, n = 50) or referred by treatment providers at the Anxiety and Depression Research Center at UCLA (anxious participants, n = 50) and undergoing a telephone screening and in-person screening, 100 participants will be enrolled in the study, with an expected recruited 150 to reach this number. During the experiment, all participants will undergo the same procedures: undergoing a fear extinction procedure in which threatening cues--cues that predict electric shock--will be paired with either an image of a social support figure (provided by participants) or an image of a smiling stranger. These pairings will be presented repeatedly in the absence of shock in order for fear extinction to occur. Participants will return for a follow-up test to determine if fear extinction was successful.

University of California, Los Angeles researchers will recruit healthy participants and anxious participants (those diagnosed with social anxiety disorder) age 18-55 years old to participate in a study examining whether the ability of social support figure reminders to prevent the acquisition of fear in healthy participants extends to those with anxiety disorders. After being recruited from the UCLA community (healthy participants, n = 50) or referred by treatment providers at the Anxiety and Depression Research Center at UCLA (anxious participants, n =50) and undergoing a telephone screening and in-person screening, 100 participants will be enrolled in the study. During the experiment, all participants will undergo the same procedures: undergoing fear acquisition procedures--the repeated pairing of a neutral image with a mild electric shock that ultimately leads to the association of threat of shock with the image--in the presence of an image of a social support figure (provided by participants) and an image of a smiling stranger.

Intramuscular injection is one of the most common invasive procedures in childhood and is frequently associated with pain and fear. These negative experiences may affect children's attitudes toward healthcare and complicate nursing care. Therefore, using non-pharmacological methods is essential for promoting child-friendly services. This study aims to evaluate the effects of the Helfer Skin Tap and vibration techniques on pain and fear levels in children aged 5-10 years during intramuscular injections. The study is designed as a parallel, three-arm randomized controlled trial conducted in the Pediatric Emergency Clinic of Ege University Hospital. Participants will be allocated by simple randomization to Helfer Skin Tap, vibration, or standard care. Sample size was calculated with G\*Power 3.1 using a repeated-measures within-between interaction model with two time points (T0-T1), α=0.05, and power=0.80. Assuming a medium effect size (f=0.25) based on previous studies, at least 159 children are required. Allowing for 15% attrition, the final sample will include 186 participants (62 per group). Data will be collected using a Child Information Form including sociodemographic characteristics and prior injection experiences. A Procedure Record Form will document randomization, assigned group, medication, dose, injection site, duration, child's position, and parental presence. Pain and fear will be assessed immediately before (T0) and after (T1) the injection. Pain will be measured with the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (0-10) and fear with the Children's Fear Scale (0-4). Ratings will be obtained independently from the child, parent, and observing nurse. The procedure will be video-recorded to enable objective evaluation of behavioral responses. Recordings will be scored by an independent blinded expert using standardized criteria. Videos will be used only for research purposes, with identifying features concealed, stored in coded format, and destroyed after study completion.

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of stress ball use during cataract surgery on patients' pain, fear, and satisfaction levels.

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effect of a drama-based coloring storybook on children's fear, anxiety, and pain management during the perioperative process. The study will be conducted with children aged 6-9 years who are scheduled for elective surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving the drama-based coloring storybook or a control group receiving routine preoperative care. Levels of fear, anxiety, and pain will be assessed using validated measurement tools at predefined perioperative time points. The findings are expected to contribute to evidence-based, child-centered perioperative care practices.

This randomized controlled study will compare the effects of the ShotBlocker device and the Helfer Skin Tap Technique on pain and fear during intramuscular hormone injections in premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer patients. Ninety-nine participants will be randomly assigned to three groups (ShotBlocker, Helfer, control). All injections will be administered by the same nurse using standardized procedures. Pain will be assessed with the Visual Analog Scale, and fear with the Injection Fear Scale. The study aims to identify effective nonpharmacological methods to enhance patient comfort, support treatment adherence, and improve nursing care quality.

This study investigates the effect of cold spray and Buzzy devices on pain and fear experienced during penicillin injections. There are three groups: a cold spray and Buzzy device, and a control group. Penicillin injections are commonly used in clinical practice and can cause discomfort, pain, and fear, particularly in patients receiving intramuscular injections. Cold spray and Buzzy devices are non-pharmacological methods that can help reduce pain and fear by providing a cooling effect and vibration at the injection site. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the study groups, and their pain and fear levels during injection will be assessed using standardized measurement tools. The results of this study are expected to contribute to improving patient comfort and supporting the use of simple, non-invasive methods to reduce pain and fear during injections.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of animated films and story books on the fear and anxiety levels of children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes.

This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapeutic toy doll developed to reduce the levels of fear, anxiety and pain experienced by children aged 4-6 during intramuscular injection procedures. Children, especially at an early age, show great sensitivity towards medical procedures, and these processes can often cause pain, anxiety and fear. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapeutic toy doll developed to reduce the levels of fear, anxiety and pain experienced by children aged 4-6 during intramuscular injection procedures. Children, especially at an early age, show great sensitivity to medical procedures, and these processes can often cause pain, anxiety, and fear. This research aims to discover methods of managing and improving children's responses to medical procedures through therapeutic games. This study, to be conducted at the Emergency Department of Atatürk University Research Hospital in Erzurum, will be carried out using a randomised controlled design. Participants will be randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Children in the intervention group will prepare using the therapeutic toy doll, while children in the control group will receive an intramuscular injection at the clinic using routine application methods. Data collection tools will include the Socio-demographic Information Form, the Children's Fear Scale (CFS), the Children's Anxiety Scale-State (CAS-D), and the Wong-Baker Facial Expression Rating Scale.

Hospitalization and medical procedures are a significant source of stress and anxiety for school-age children aged 7-11, who, due to their cognitive development, can perceive events but lack the capacity to cope effectively. The main objective of this project is to examine the effect of Mindfulness-Based Emotion Regulation Training, which will be applied to children aged 7-11 hospitalized in the pediatric clinic, on developing children's emotion regulation skills and reducing their fear levels related to the hospital. The research is a randomized controlled trial to be conducted between April 2026 and April 2027. Data will be collected using the "Child and Parent Introduction Form," the "Emotion Regulation Scale for Children and Adolescents," and the "Medical Procedure Fear Scale." While distraction techniques frequently used in the literature offer a quick and effective solution at the time of the procedure, this project differs in that it aims to provide children with sustainable emotion regulation skills that they can use not only at that moment but also in later stages of the illness and in future life events. As a result of the project, it is expected that the implemented training will increase adaptive emotion regulation strategies in children, significantly reduce medical fear and anxiety, and provide an evidence-based nursing intervention that will facilitate children's compliance with treatment.

Burn injuries are a significant global health problem, leading to serious physical, psychological, and social challenges for affected individuals. The literature emphasizes that dressing changes are among the most painful and anxiety-provoking procedures, negatively impacting treatment adherence and patient well-being. Although pharmacological methods are used to alleviate pain and anxiety, they are often insufficient due to potential side effects and addiction risks. In recent years, advancements in digital technologies-particularly virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and hologram applications-have offered promising distraction-based approaches. Hologram technology, through three-dimensional and interactive visuals, can divert the patient's attention from traumatic stimuli, thereby reducing pain, anxiety, and fear in an innovative way. However, there is limited scientific evidence regarding the use of hologram applications during burn dressing changes. This study aims to examine the effects of hologram applications on pain, anxiety, fear, patient satisfaction, and physiological parameters during burn dressing procedures. The research will be conducted at Erzurum City Hospital Burn Center, with a total of 70 patients assigned to experimental and control groups using simple randomization. Data collection tools will include the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Burn Specific Pain Anxiety Scale, satisfaction and fear VAS assessments, and physiological parameter recording forms. The study will be carried out between November 2025 and May 2026. The results are expected to provide evidence-based insights into the feasibility and effectiveness of hologram technology as a non-pharmacological, innovative intervention in burn care.

Pain neuroscience education is currently one of the techniques being explored in physiotherapy for pain management. The benefits of this technique are gradually becoming evident in various published studies. So far, it has been widely studied for its short-term effects, but the education provided has typically been generic, not focused on exercise. However, it is suggested that this technique should be combined with exercise to achieve the expected outcomes. Therefore, pain education should be tailored to the specific physical activities the subject will perform to maximise its effectiveness. The primary aim of this study is to analyse the outcome of combining exercise with tailored pain neuroscience education on aspects such as pain, kinesiophobia, catastrophizing, exercise conceptualization, and upper limb function in subjects with neck pain. The secondary aim is to evaluate the relationship between kinesiophobia and catastrophizing and their impact on the results of various upper limb performance tests. Finally, the effects of therapeutic exercise alone will be compared with those of therapeutic exercise combined with pain neuroscience education, focusing on pain, kinesiophobia, catastrophizing, and exercise conceptualization. A double-blind, randomised clinical trial has been designed, in which three intervention protocols will be applied to 81 subjects with non-specific neck pain: education with exercise, exercise alone, and placebo alone. Subjects with non-specific neck pain who meet the inclusion criteria will be enrolled. Demographic characteristics of the subjects, as well as pain, kinesiophobia, catastrophizing, and upper limb performance test scores, will be assessed. This study aims to explore the potential relevance of a pain neuroscience education session prior to therapeutic exercise, as well as to influence the clinical recommendations made by clinicians during treatment.

This research will be conducted as a pre-test-post-test parallel group randomized controlled experimental study to determine the effects of two different types of hourglasses (liquid gel-based hourglass and sand-based hourglass) used for distraction during blood collection in children aged 5-10 years on pain, fear, and anxiety and the comparative effectiveness of these methods. Research Hypotheses H1: The mean pain, fear, and anxiety scores of children who used a liquid gel-based hourglass during blood collection were significantly lower than the mean scores of children in the control group. H2: The mean pain, fear, and anxiety scores of children who used a sand-based hourglass during blood collection were significantly lower than the mean scores of children in the control group. H3: The use of a liquid gel-based hourglass and a sand-based hourglass during blood collection had different effects on the mean pain, fear, and anxiety scores of children.

Anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) affect a large number of individuals with a significant portion of patients failing to improve with current treatments. The purpose of this study is to understand the brain mechanisms that produce fear and anxiety in humans. To accomplish this goal, we will measure the brain activity along with the heart rate and skin perspiration of patients while they are completing tasks on a computer. Some of the tasks will also use a virtual reality headset and transport the patient in a video game-like environment. These tasks will expose the participants to various levels of fear-provoking images. Participants with responsive neurostimulation (RNS) implants will be enrolled under Pro00117931 at Duke, but their results for fear and anxiety tasks will be reported under NCT05120635.