Effect of Storytelling on Preoperative Anxiety and Fear among Children Undergoing Surgery

Wahid Amer, Hoda; Mohamed Magdi Fakhreldin Mohamed, Hussein; Abdelazem Osman Ali, Safaa; Ahmed Mohamed Souilm, Nagwa; Elsaid Fathi Zaghamir, Donia

doi:10.21608/ejhc.2021.163257

Effect of Storytelling on Preoperative Anxiety and Fear among Children Undergoing Surgery

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Lecturer of Pediatric Nursing, College of Nursing, Misr University for Science & Technology, Egypt

² Lecturer of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Beni-Suef University

³ Assistant Professor of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Suez Canal University, Egypt

⁴ Assistant Professor of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, South Vally University, Egypt

⁵ Lecturer of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, PortSaid University, Egypt

10.21608/ejhc.2021.163257

Abstract

Background: Children who are faced with surgical operations may experience anxiety, panic and
fear before surgery and they are needed to both physical and psychological preparation. Aim of the
study: Evaluate the effect of storytelling on preoperative anxiety and fear among children
undergoing surgery. Design: Quasi-experimental research design was utilized in the current study.
Subjects: 100 children from 4-8 years were equally and randomly assigned into two groups, the
first was the control group and the second was storytelling intervention group. Setting: The current
study was conducted at the General Pediatric Surgical Unit at Cairo University Specialized Pediatric
Hospital (CUSPH). Tools: an Interview Structured Questionnaire was developed by the researchers,
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, and Children's Fear Scale was utilized for collecting the
data. Results: Preoperative anxiety scores and fear were lower among children after storytelling
intervention than before. Highly statistically significant differences were detected between the total
mean score of anxiety scores and fear in the pretest and posttest before surgery (P=0.000).
Conclusion: Storytelling method is an effective distraction technique for reducing preoperative
anxiety and fear among children undergoing surgery compared to children in the control group who
received routine hospital care. Recommendations: Application of the storytelling technique as non-
pharmacological management beside routine hospital programs for children undergoing surgery is
recommended among nurses who care children in order to reduce preoperative anxiety, panic and
fear level.

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