Abstract
The purpose of this study was to isolate and compare children's procedural anxiety and pain. The study was conducted in a school-based pediatric health clinic with 39 fourth graders receiving 3 injection vaccinations over a 6-month period. Child and nurse ratings and an observational scale assessed anxiety and pain. Results suggest that anxiety and pain are highly correlated, however self-report and an observational measure discriminate between these constructs. Self-report and observational measurement indicated more pediatric pain than anxiety, whereas nurse reports did not indicate differences between children's pain and anxiety.
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Cohen, L.L., Blount, R.L., Cohen, R.J. et al. Dimensions of Pediatric Procedural Distress: Children's Anxiety and Pain During Immunizations. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings 11, 41–47 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOCS.0000016268.40662.ed
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOCS.0000016268.40662.ed