The Association Between Parent’s and Healthcare Professional’s Behavior and Children’s Coping and Distress During Venepuncture

Abstract

Objectives Examine the association between children’s distress and coping during venepuncture with parent’s and healthcare professional’s behavior in a sample from the UK.  Methods Fifty children aged 7–16 years accompanied by a carer were videotaped while having venepuncture. Verbalizations of children, parents, and healthcare professionals were coded using the Child–Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale-Revised. Results Children’s distress was associated with child’s age, anxiety, and distress promoting behavior of adults (R² = .91). Children’s coping was associated with age, anxiety, and coping promoting behaviors of adults (R² = .57). Associations were stronger between healthcare professional’s behavior and child coping; and between parent’s behaviors and child distress. Empathizing, apologizing, and criticism were not frequently used by adults in this sample (<12%). Conclusion This study supports and extends previous research showing adult’s behavior is important in children’s distress and coping during needle procedures. Clinical implications and methodological issues are discussed.

adolescents, anxiety, children, coping, health care services, parenting style