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THE EFFECT OF "HOSPITAL CLOWNS" ON PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOURS IN CHILDREN UNDERGOING MINOR SURGERY

2010; Issue: 14 Linguagem: Inglês

1137-9685

Victoria Meisel, Karin Chellew, Esperança Ponsell Vicens, Ana Paula Ferreira, Leonor Bordás, Gloria García‐Banda,

Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units

Clown programmes are used in healthcare settings in many countries to reduce distress in children who are undergoing surgery. The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of the presence of clowns on children's distress and maladaptive behaviours while in hospital for minor surgery. The sample consisted of 61 paediatric patients (aged 3-12 years) undergoing general anaesthesia for minor surgery. Participants were assigned to two groups: experimental and control group. The child's distress was assessed using the FAS (Facial Affective Scale). Post-operative maladaptive behaviours were evaluated one week after surgery, using the PHBQ (Post-Hospital Behavior Questionnaire). Our results suggest that clowns are not able to reduce the child's level of distress. On the other hand, post-operative maladaptive behaviours in the experimental group decreased, though the decrease was not statistically significant. Further research is needed to determine the effects of clowns in hospitals, taking into account age, sex, parents' presence, and different types of hospital settings.