DVD-Based Training Program in Self-Hypnosis for Children

Pediatric care professionals and parents seek safe ways to make invasive medical procedures less stressful and traumatic for children. However, for unpleasant procedures that require child cooperation, this task becomes difficult. Home-training in self-hypnotic relaxation may provide an inexpensive, yet systematic method for improving the overall medical care of children undergoing invasive medical procedures. The proposed study is designed to utilize a self-hypnosis DVD home-training program for parents to use with their children to teach self-hypnosis techniques for inducing relaxation and hypnotic analgesia. The study will examine the efficacy of this intervention for children undergoing urethral catheterization for VCUG procedures. Parents will be instructed to watch the DVD and practice the self-hypnosis exercises every day for a week with their child prior to the upcoming procedure. Parents are encouraged to practice self-hypnosis during their child's VCUG procedure. Both parents and children will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires before and following the procedure.

Inclusion criteria

• Child and participating parent have assented (child) or consented (parent) to participate
• Both child and parent are English-speaking
• Child has undergone at least one previous VCUG
• Child was at least 4 years of age at the time of the most recent VCUG
• Parent reports child experienced some difficulty (e.g., at least some crying, pain, or fear) during that earlier procedure.

Exclusion criteria

• Child and participating parent have not assented (child) or consented (parent) to participate
• Either child or parent are not English-speaking
• Child has not undergone at least one previous VCUG
• Child was under 4 years of age at the time of the most recent VCUG
• Parent reports child did not experience difficulty (e.g., at least some crying, pain, or fear) during that earlier procedure.