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Efficacy of therapeutic play for pediatric brain tumor patients during external beam radiotherapy

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Abstract

Objective

External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is frequently used to improve disease control for pediatric brain tumor patients. However, to facilitate the radiotherapy (RT) procedure, “forced” type interventions including conscious sedation or general anesthesia are frequently used to manage patients’ fear and anxiety. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of therapeutic play (TP) in reducing anxiety for pediatric brain tumor patients treated by EBRT.

Methods

Between April 1st and September 30th, 2009, 19 young brain tumor patients, aged 3–15 years and recommended for RT, were recruited: ten to a control group and nine to the study intervention group. The study group was introduced with TP during EBRT. The Beck Youth Anxiety Inventory and the Faces Anxiety Scale were used to evaluate patients’ psychological levels of anxiety. The heart rate variability and salivary cortisol concentrations were used to indicate the patients’ physical levels of anxiety. Both the psychological and physiological tests were administered to all subjects before and after the RT procedure.

Results

The study group had significantly lower anxiety scores and expressed fewer negative emotions than did the control group before EBRT.

Conclusions

TP can not only improve the quality of medical services but can also reduce costs and staffing demands. In addition, it can help lower young patients’ anxiety and fear during medical procedures. As a result, it further decreases the potential negative impacts of hospitalization on these young patients.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the financial support received for this study via grant nos.: V95A-118, VGH97B1-006, VGH100B1-022, and VGH102B008; NSC94-2516-S-154-001; DOH100-TD-C-111-007 (Department of Health, R.O.C.); and the Charity Foundation of JUT Land Development Group, Taiwan

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yu-Li Tsai, Sang-Hue Yen, Hueh-Chun Liou, I-Chun Lai & Yi-Wei Chen

  2. Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Kai-Lin Huang

  3. Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Tai-Tong Wong

  4. Department of Nursing, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Pin Liu & Hsiao-Ling Lou

  5. Graduate Institute of Transition and Leisure Education for Individuals with Disabilities, Taipei Physical Education College, Taipei, Taiwan

    Shiow-Chwen Tsai

  6. Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Sang-Hue Yen

  7. Department and Institute of Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Pei-Fan Mu

  8. Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yi-Wei Chen

  9. Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Tai-Tong Wong & Yi-Wei Chen

  10. Graduate Institute of Sports and Health, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan

    I-Tsun Chiang

  11. Cancer Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112, Taiwan

    Yi-Wei Chen

Authors
  1. Yu-Li Tsai
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  2. Shiow-Chwen Tsai
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  3. Sang-Hue Yen
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  4. Kai-Lin Huang
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  5. Pei-Fan Mu
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  6. Hueh-Chun Liou
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  7. Tai-Tong Wong
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  8. I-Chun Lai
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  9. Pin Liu
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  10. Hsiao-Ling Lou
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  11. I-Tsun Chiang
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  12. Yi-Wei Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yi-Wei Chen.

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Tsai, YL., Tsai, SC., Yen, SH. et al. Efficacy of therapeutic play for pediatric brain tumor patients during external beam radiotherapy. Childs Nerv Syst 29, 1123–1129 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2099-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2099-3

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