The effect of therapeutic storytelling on pain, fear, and anxiety levels in children undergoing burn dressing.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the impact of therapeutic storytelling on pain, anxiety, fear, physiological parameters, and parental anxiety and satisfaction levels in children undergoing burn dressing procedures. A randomized controlled trial was conducted between April 2023 and June 2024 with 60 pediatric patients and their parents in the burn unit of a hospital in Istanbul. Participants were randomized into two groups: the intervention group (n = 30), who listened to a digitized therapeutic story during burn dressing, and the control group (n = 30), who received standard care without additional intervention. Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, Child Anxiety Meter-State, Child Fear Scale, Wong-Baker Pain Scale, Parental Satisfaction Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Scale, and a Physiological Parameters Form. The mean age of the children was 3.96 ± 0.99 years; 53.3 % were male, and 83.3 % lived in nuclear families. Children in the storytelling group experienced significantly lower pain, anxiety, and fear levels during and after the procedure compared to the control group (p < 0.001). In the intervention group, anxiety levels progressively decreased from before to after dressing (p < 0.001), while fear and anxiety in the control group increased during the procedure but decreased afterward. Significant differences were observed between the groups in pulse rate, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure across all dressing stages (p < 0.001), whereas oxygen saturation levels showed no significant difference (p > 0.05). Listening to therapeutic stories in a digital format effectively reduced pain, anxiety, and fear during burn dressing in children, improved physiological parameters, and enhanced parental satisfaction. This is a simple, fast, and cost-effective art-based method that nurses can apply during burn dressing with minimal equipment and preparation.