A Brief Mindfulness Intervention for Parents and Children before Pediatric Venipuncture: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Rachel L Moline, Kaytlin L Constantin, Christine T Chambers, Deborah Powell, Stephen P. Lewis, Laryssa Laurignano, C Meghan McMurtry
Children November 30, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/children9121869 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 61 |
| Population | Parent-child dyads with children aged 7-12 undergoing routine pediatric venipuncture |
| Duration | 5-minute intervention before venipuncture; measures completed around the procedure |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Rct Children Parents Venipuncture |
| Registration | NCT03941717 |
| Key findings | A 5-minute mindfulness intervention before pediatric venipuncture did not reduce child pain or fear compared with an unfocused attention control, but parents in the mindfulness group were less distressed during the procedure. The authors report that parent state catastrophizing may have moderated this effect, with parents at moderate and high catastrophizing levels showing lower distress after mindfulness than control. |
Abstract
Routine needle procedures can be distressing for parents and children. Mindfulness interventions may be helpful for parents and children but have not been examined for pediatric needle procedures despite showing benefits in the context of pediatric chronic pain and in lab-based pain tasks. This preregistered (NCT03941717) two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial examined the effects of a 5 min mindfulness intervention before pediatric venipuncture for parents and children (aged 7-12) compared to a control group on primary outcomes of child pain and fear, secondary outcomes of parent distress, and tertiary outcomes of parent ratings of child pain and fear. Moderators of parent and children's responses to the intervention were examined: state catastrophizing, trait mindfulness, and experiential avoidance. Sixty-one parent-child dyads were randomized (31 mindfulness; 30 control). Parents and children completed measures, listened to a 5 min audio recording (mindfulness or control), and parents accompanied their child during routine venipuncture. The mindfulness intervention involved breathing and encouraging nonjudgmental attention to one's experiences, while the control condition involved an unfocused attention task. Three between-subject MANCOVAs assessed for group differences. Child pain and fear rated by children and their parents did not differ between groups. Parents in the mindfulness group were less distressed during the venipuncture than the controls. Parent state catastrophizing may have moderated the intervention effects, such that parents with moderate and high catastrophizing levels had lower distress following the mindfulness intervention versus control. The intervention did not reduce child pain or fear but reduced parent distress. It appeared most helpful for parents catastrophizing about their child's pain, which is noteworthy as these children are prone to worse outcomes.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- The effect of a one-time mindfulness intervention on body and mind in healthy adolescents using multimodal measurements. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024
- Parent and child self- and co-regulation during pediatric venipuncture: Exploring heart rate variability and the effects of a mindfulness intervention. Developmental Psychobiology July 2022
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