Abstract
This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of medical clowns on psychological distress during pediatric anogenital examinations. A convenience sample of 30 allegedly sexually abused minors ranging in age from 1 to 17 years (M = 10.57, SD = 4.71) was recruited among children at a medical center for sexually abused children in Israel. Parents and children completed self-report questionnaires consisting of two measures: the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Scale and an evaluation scale regarding the role of and experience with medical clowns. Results indicated that children accompanied by a medical clown during examination expressed less fear, reported lower pain levels, and had fewer invasive thoughts.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 12-22 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Loss and Trauma |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 2012 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Received 23 May 2010; accepted 17 February 2011. This study was supported (in part) by Grant 000005561-3 from the Chief Scientist Office of the Ministry of Health, Israel. Address correspondence to Dafna Tener, TENE Center for Sexually Abused Children, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Poria-Padeh Medical Center, Tiberias, Israel 15208. E-mail: [email protected]
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatric Mental Health
- Social Psychology
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Psychiatry and Mental health
