Evaluating the Effect of the Use of Virtual Reality Headset in School Vaccinations
Condition: Anxiety and Fear
MeSH terms: Anxiety Disorders
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study was conducted with a randomized controlled experimental design to determine the
      effect of virtual reality headset on children's fear and anxiety during vaccinations.

      Research Hypotheses:

      Hypothesis 0a (H0a): There is no difference in fear scores between the experimental group in
      which virtual reality glasses were used during vaccination administration and the control
      group.

      Hypothesis 1a (H1a): There is a difference in fear scores between the experimental group in
      which virtual reality glasses were used during vaccination administration and the control
      group.

      Hypothesis 0b (H0b): There is no difference in anxiety scores between the experimental group
      in which virtual reality glasses were used during vaccination administration and the control
      group.

      Hypothesis 1b (H1b): There is a difference in anxiety scores experienced between the
      experimental group in which virtual reality glasses were used during vaccination
      administration and the control group.
    

Detailed description: 
      Interventions made for protecting health or curing diseases, significantly affect children's
      psychological state and social adaptation. Being one of these interventions, vaccination may
      cause fear and anxiety in children. This fear and anxiety may affect children's future
      treatment and care experiences and result in fright and avoidance in them. Thus, it is
      important to try and reduce biological stress and to cope with psychosocial stress. One of
      the methods which can be used for this purpose is virtual reality headset used as a
      distraction method. This study was conducted with a randomized controlled experimental design
      to determine the effect of virtual reality headset on children's fear and anxiety during
      vaccinations. The population of the study consisted of first grade students attending primary
      schools in the city center of Ordu. The study was completed with 84 students in the
      experimental group and 85 students in the control group. With the sample number obtained as a
      result of the study, the test power was found to be 89.8% when the alpha error was 0.05 and
      the effect size was kept at 0.5. The data were collected using the Child and Parent
      Introductory Information Form, Children's Fear Scale, and Children's Anxiety Scale-State
      Scale.
    

Intervention name(s): Use of virtual reality glasses during vaccination applications in children
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): To the experimental group:
Before the vaccine administration;
Children's Fear Scale, and Children's Anxiety Scale-State Scale was applied to the student.
Cartoons and virtual reality glasses that the student wanted to watch were prepared.
While the nurse was preparing the vaccines, the student was put on virtual reality glasses and the distance settings of the lenses were adjusted and the cartoons he chose to watch during the vaccination applications started to be shown. Since virtual reality glasses can cause anxiety attacks manifested by nausea in some children, this was also tested beforehand. It took about two minutes to administer the vaccine and watch cartoons.
Those applied after the vaccine administration;
- Children's Fear Scale, and Children's Anxiety Scale-State Scale was applied to the student.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Anxiety, Child, Fear, Vaccine, Virtual reality headset