FearNCT07237074
The Effect of Using Finger Puppets and Showing Cartoons on Pain and Fear in Preschool Children During Blood Collection
A study testing showing finger puppets during blood collection and cartoons in people with Fear and Pain, run by Hitit University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 3 to 6 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- What is being tested?
- showing finger puppets during blood collection and cartoons
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 10 May 2025to 1 Dec 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 3 to 6 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- 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.
Who cannot join
- 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.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Hitit University Erol Olçok Education and Research Hospital
Çorum, Merkez, 19200
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Using Finger Puppets and Showing Cartoons on Pain and Fear in Preschool Children (3-6 Years Old) 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.
Read the detailed description
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.
- Being tested
- showing finger puppets during blood collection, cartoons, control group
- Keywords
- blood collection, watching cartoons, finger puppet
- Medical subject headings
- Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
showing finger puppets during blood collectionOther
finger puppets
cartoonsOther
Watching cartoons during blood collection
control groupOther
No intervention was made during blood collection
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| finger puppet group | Experimental | During the blood collection procedure, 40 children were randomly selected to play with finger puppets. Receives: Other: showing finger puppets during blood collection |
| watching cartoons group | Experimental | During the blood collection procedure, 40 children were randomly selected to watch cartoons. Receives: Other: cartoons |
| control group | Experimental | No intervention was performed on the children. Receives: Other: control group |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale
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.
Measured: 4 months
Children's Fear Scale (CFS)
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
Measured: 4 months
Secondary outcomes (1)
Information Form
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.
Measured: 4 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Nov 2025
- Study start10 May 2025
- Primary completion25 Jul 2025
- Study completion1 Dec 2025 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for FearStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- three groups, including a cartoon and finger puppet group and a control group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hitit University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Zeynep Camkıran, Hitit University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07237074
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HititU-SBF-ZÇ-01
- Status last verified
- Nov 2025
- First submitted
- 1 Oct 2025
- Last updated
- 26 Nov 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: I will not share the work data with anyone.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Nov 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Using Finger Puppets and Showing Cartoons on Pain and Fear in Preschool Children (3-6 Years Old) During Blood Collection
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07237074
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HititU-SBF-ZÇ-01
- Keywords
- blood collection, watching cartoons, finger puppet
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hitit UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 May 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 25 Jul 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2025 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Detailed description
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.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- three groups, including a cartoon and finger puppet group and a control group
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| finger puppet group | Experimental | Other: showing finger puppets during blood collectionDuring the blood collection procedure, 40 children were randomly selected to play with finger puppets. |
| watching cartoons group | Experimental | Other: cartoonsDuring the blood collection procedure, 40 children were randomly selected to watch cartoons. |
| control group | Experimental | Other: control groupNo intervention was performed on the children. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 3 to 6 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 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.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 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.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| showing finger puppets during blood collectionfinger puppets | Other | finger puppet group |
| cartoonsWatching cartoons during blood collection | Other | watching cartoons group |
| control groupNo intervention was made during blood collection | Other | control group |
Primary outcome
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.
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
1 secondary outcome
Information Form
Time frame: 4 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Nov 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. I will not share the work data with anyone.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing showing finger puppets during blood collection and cartoons in people with Fear and Pain, run by Hitit University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Nov 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (time frame: 4 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Nov 2025.