The effect of therapeutic play on fear, anxiety, and satisfaction levels of pediatric oncology patients receiving chemotherapy

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of therapeutic play on the levels of fear and anxiety towards chemotherapy in pediatric oncology patients and evaluate the satisfaction of children and parents regarding therapeutic play. Methods: The study was conducted with a one-group pretest-post-design and was developed as a prospective quasi-experimental study. The study was conducted with 40 pediatric oncology patients aged 5–12 and their parents. Data were collected by Child Information Form, Child Fear Scale (CFS), Child State Anxiety (CSA), and Visual Satisfaction Scale. Results: The mean age was 8.98 ± 2.76, 65% were males. The CSA score was decreased at the end of the second cycle compared to the first (p < 0.001). The CFS score was reduced at the end of the second cycle compared to the first (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant decrease in CFS scores at the end of the first cycle compared to the beginning (p < 0.001). The decrease in CFS scores at the end of the second cycle compared to the beginning was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of the study show that there was a significant decrease in the fear and anxiety levels of children against chemotherapy in the pre-and post-treatment evaluations. Children and their families were satisfied with the therapeutic play intervention. Practice implications: Therapeutic play may be an effective method to reduce fear and anxiety levels against chemotherapy in pediatric oncology patients. The use of therapeutic play from the moment of diagnosis is recommended to reduce children's fear and anxiety related to chemotherapy.