NCT06956586

Therapeutic Communication Techniques for Children Aged 7-12 in Intensive Care

Completed NA Last updated 12 August 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Therapeutic communication techniques in Emotional States in 70 participants. Completed in 26 January 2025.

Timeline

1 August 2024

Primary endpoint
26 January 2025

26 January 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Uşak University
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	double
Primary purpose	supportive care
Enrollment	70
Start date	1 August 2024
Primary completion	26 January 2025
Estimated completion	26 January 2025
Sites	1 location across Turkey (Türkiye)

Drugs / interventions tested

• Therapeutic communication techniques

Conditions studied

• Emotional States — all drugs for Emotional States →
• Therapeutic Communication in Pediatric ICU — all drugs for Therapeutic Communication in Pediatric ICU →
• Child Emotional Well-being in ICU — all drugs for Child Emotional Well-being in ICU →

Sponsor

Uşak University

Who can join

Adults 7 to 12, any sex, with Emotional States or Therapeutic Communication in Pediatric ICU. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Summary of the Research Children may need to stay in intensive care for a period of time due to acute or chronic illnesses in their lives.There may be anxiety, fear and concerns in intensive care. Therefore, a healthy communication with the child, such as care, accurate transfer and reporting of the events and situations experienced according to the development level, the use of appropriate therapeutic communication, the child's mental and spiritual life includes all lives. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of therapeutic communication techniques applied to the 7-12 age groups in intensive care on the emotional development of children. The research will be patterned later. The research storage will consist of 70 children between the ages of 7-12 who are hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Uşak University Education and Research Hospital. Data will be collected with 1. Descriptive Data Form Related to the Child and Family, 2. State Anxiety Inventory, 3. Koppitz's Human Figure Drawing Test, 4. "Facial Expressions Rating Scale" in Wong and Baker.

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of therapeutic communication techniques applied to children aged 7-12 in intensive care on the emotional state of the children.

Hypotheses of the Study:

H1.1: The average total score of the state anxiety scale in the intervention group (children receiving therapeutic communication techniques) will differ from that of the control group (children not receiving therapeutic communication techniques).

H1.2: The emotional state of the children in the intervention group, as measured by the Koppitz Human Figure Drawing Test, will differ from the emotional state of children in the control group.

Before the therapeutic communication method is applied to the children in the intervention and control groups, the descriptive characteristics data form, the State Anxiety Inventory, the Facial Expressions Rating Scale, and the Emotion Wheel will be applied.

The forms will be shown to the child by the researcher at the child's bedside in the intensive care unit and filled out face to face by the researcher. After the therapeutic communication intervention is completed, Koppitz's Human Figure Drawing Test and State Anxiety Inventory will be applied to the children in the intervention and control groups. The estimated application time of the forms is 30 minutes. The application will last 2 days.

DAY 1: Application of joint storytelling as a therapeutic communication technique by the researcher to the children DAY 2: Application of picture drawing technique as a therapeutic communication technique by the researcher to the children

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Drawing and mutual storytelling to alleviate anxiety and improve emotional well-being in children in PICU: a randomized controlled trial.
   Köksal Ö, Kilicarslan E, Emeksiz S. · · 2025 · cited 1× · PMID 40913193 · DOI 10.1007/s00431-025-06454-5