Behaviour research and therapy
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of preparatory information and distraction on children's cold-pressor pain outcomes: a randomized controlled trial.
This experimental study investigated whether preparatory sensory information was more effective in managing children's pain when coupled with a distraction technique. Seventy-eight children aged 7-12 years were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 experimental conditions. They were given either a detailed sensory description of an imminent painful event (cold-pressor arm immersion in 10 degrees C water) or control instructions lacking sensory information. ⋯ Children given sensory preparation reported less intense pain when this was coupled with distraction than when it was not. Children with a distraction-based coping style showed greater tolerance when assigned to a condition congruent with their coping style. These findings suggest ways to better prepare children for painful medical procedures.