The effect of pre-treatment therapeutic play on pain, fear, physiological parameters, and parental satisfaction in preschool children: A randomized controlled trial

Background Procedural pain, fear, and anxiety are common in children in pediatric clinics, and evidence on feasible, nurse-delivered, tecnology-based therapeutic play intervention remains limited. Aim To evaluate the effects of a nurse-delivered, tablet-based therapeutic play intervention administered before treatment on pain, fear, physiological parameters, parental satisfaction in preschool children aged 3–6 years. Methods This randomized controlled, parallel-group pretest–posttest study included 40 children admitted to a pediatric inpatient unit in Konya, Turkey, who were randomly assigned to experimental ( n = 20) and control (n = 20) groups. Data were collected using the Parent and Child Introductory Information Form, Physiological Parameter Monitoring Form, Children's State Anxiety and Fear Scale, Visual Analog Scale, and PedsQL Healthcare Satisfaction Scale. The experimental group received a nurse-delivered, tablet-based therapeutic play intervention prior to the procedure, while the control group received standard care. Data were analyzed using independent-samples t- tests, chi-square tests, and mixed ANOVA ( p < 0.05). Results Baseline characteristics were comparable ( p > 0.05). No significant between-group differences were found in physiological parameters ( p > 0.05). Post-treatment pain, anxiety, fear scores were significantly higher in the control group ( p < 0.001), with large effect sizes (η2 = 0.526; η2 = 0.455). Parental satisfaction did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion A brief, nurse-delivered therapeutic video game administered prior to procedures reduced children's pain, anxiety, and fear but did not significantly affect physiological parameters or parental satisfaction. Implications to practice Integrating a brief, a nurse-delivered, tablet-based therapeutic play into pre-procedural care can serve as a simple, low-cost, non-pharmacological strategy to reduce pain, fear, and anxiety in preschool children in pediatric settings. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06415188