NCT07299058

The Effect of a Guessing Game on Fear, Pain, and Emotional State During Blood Collection in Children Aged 6-12

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 70 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Dokuz Eylul University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 6 Years – 12 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a guessing game on fear, pain and emotional state during blood collection in children aged 6-12 years.

Detailed description

Invasive medical procedures, particularly blood draws, are among the most common healthcare procedures in which children experience intense fear, pain, and emotional stress. The literature contains numerous studies on distraction interventions designed to improve children's psychological well-being and reduce the traumatic effects of these procedures. However, the majority of these studies have focused on passive distraction techniques (e.g., watching videos or listening to music), with less emphasis on play-based interventions that involve active child participation (Uman et al., 2013; Koller \& Goldman, 2012). A meta-analysis by Birnie et al. (2018) demonstrated that distraction and techniques such as hypnosis are effective in reducing pain and anxiety associated with needle injections in children. Distraction-based approaches, in particular, have been reported to divert children's cognitive capacity from directing the procedure, leading to more positive emotional responses. A review of studies conducted in this area in Turkey reveals that methods such as distraction with music (Özdemir \& Karakoç, 2017), blowing bubbles (Karaman \& Selimen, 2015), and playing with toys have generally been evaluated. However, studies systematically examining play-based distraction practices that utilize children's cognitive functions such as decision-making, choice, and direction in the field of nursing are rare. A randomized controlled trial conducted by Hacettepe University found that a combination of information provision and an active distraction method (a tablet puzzle game) reduced both pain and fear levels in children (p=0.001-0.005) (Isıyel et al., 2023). Randomized controlled trials in the international literature demonstrate that playing video games, virtual reality, or using interactive technology (e.g., tablet games, VR modules) significantly reduces pain and anxiety during blood collection (Inan \& Inal, 2019). \| However, these studies often utilize passive or semi-passive distraction applications tailored to age, while predictive game designs that focus entirely on one-on-one interaction with the child are rarely featured in the literature. To this end, this study will evaluate the "Effect of a Guessing Game on Fear, Pain, and Emotional State During Blood Collection in Children Aged 6-12."

Conditions

• Pain
• Blood Sampling Procedure
• Fear Anxiety

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	I Wonder What I Am Play	I Wonder What I Am: This is a board game designed to help children over the age of four develop mental, cognitive, and language skills. The game consists of colorful cards with objects (animals, objects, vehicles, etc.) and a tool for placing them on the head. This tool begins with placing the object card to be guessed in the appropriate location, unseen by anyone else, and explaining the object's characteristics, followed by questions.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-12-20
• Primary completion: 2026-12-31
• Completion: 2026-12-31
• First posted: 2025-12-23
• Last updated: 2025-12-23