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NCT Number: NCT07237074

The Effect of Using Finger Puppets and Showing Cartoons on Pain and Fear in Preschool Children During Blood Collection

The study is a randomized controlled experimental study aimed at determining the effect of showing cartoons or using finger puppets to children aged 3-6 years before taking venous blood samples on their pain levels.

Based on the results of this study, it is thought that showing cartoons and using finger puppets before blood collection will help reduce pain levels in children and improve their ability to cope with pain, thereby improving the quality of care. In this context, the study will be conducted to determine the effect of showing cartoons and using finger puppets before blood collection on pain in pediatric patients.

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Key information

Conditions

Fear Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

3 year–6 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Hitit University Erol Olçok Education and Research Hospital

Çorum, Merkez, 19200, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Children between the ages of three and six have the language skills to express pain at a sensory level. They can describe the location and intensity of the pain. They may cry, scream, and exhibit aggressive behavior in response to pain. They may think of invasive procedures such as blood collection as punishment. Before any procedures are performed, the child should be informed about the procedures that will be performed and their stress and fear should be reduced by helping them relax. Nurses should use non-pharmacological methods appropriate for the age group of the children during painful procedures to reduce the level of pain perceived by the children. In this study, I will examine the effect of showing cartoons and finger puppets to children during blood collection on pain and fear.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • The child and parent agree to participate in the study.
  • The child is between 3 and 6 years old.
  • The child has no acute pain complaints.
  • The child has no disabilities.

Exclusion criteria

  • The child and parent refuse to participate in the study.
  • The child is under 3 years of age or over 6 years of age.
  • The child has acute pain complaints.
  • The child has any disability.

Treatment and study plan

showing finger puppets during blood collection

Other

finger puppets

Cartoons

Other

Watching cartoons during blood collection

Control Group

Other

No intervention was made during blood collection

Primary outcomes

  1. Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale

    Time frame: 4 months

    Pain scores are given according to the numerical values assigned to the faces on this scale. It is explained to the child that the faces on the scale do not represent people who are happy because they are not in pain or unhappy because they are in pain.

    A very happy person is Face 0. A little pain is Face 1, a little more pain is Face 2, a little more pain is Face 3, and quite a lot of pain is Face 4. Face 5 represents the highest level of pain that can be imagined. The child is asked to choose the face that best describes the pain they are feeling.

  2. Children's Fear Scale (CFS)

    Time frame: 4 months

    CFS is used to score the fear that may cause pain in children before or during the procedure. The scale is a visual measurement tool consisting of five drawn lines ranging from a neutral facial expression (0 = no fear) to a frightened facial expression (4 = very afraid), with scores ranging from 0 to 4.

    The scale is used to assess the fear of pain in children before or during a procedure.

    The scale is a visual measurement tool consisting of five drawn lines ranging from a neutral facial expression (0 = no fear) to a frightened facial expression (4 = very afraid), with scores ranging from 0 to 4.

    The scale is used to assess the fear of pain in children before or during a procedure. . The Turkish language validity and psychometric properties of the scale used to assess procedural fears in children aged 5-12 were tested

Secondary outcomes

  1. Information Form

    Time frame: 4 months

    Information Form: The form includes questions regarding the date of the procedure, the reason for the children's admission to the hospital, the duration of the procedure, the method used, the children's age, gender, whether they had received analgesics in the last 24 hours, whether they had undergone a blood draw in the last 6 months, whether any preparatory measures were taken before the blood draw and, if so, which method was used, the parents' age, family structure, and family education level.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Hitit University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Using Finger Puppets and Showing Cartoons on Pain and Fear in Preschool Children (3-6 Years Old) During Blood Collection

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Nov 19, 2025
Registry last updated
Nov 26, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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