The effect of interactive robot-based distraction on procedure-related emotional appearance, pain, fear, and anxiety during peripheral intravenous catheterization in children in the emergency department

Peripheral intravenous catheter placement is a common medical invasive procedure in pediatric emergency departments that causes emotional distress, pain, fear, and anxiety in children. This study was conducted to determine the effect of an interactive robot-based distraction intervention applied during peripheral intravenous catheter placement in the pediatric emergency department on children's emotional appearance, pain, fear, and anxiety levels. This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted between February and May 2025 at the Afyonkarahisar State Hospital Pediatric Emergency Department with pediatric patients aged 4-10 years who underwent peripheral intravenous catheter placement. A total of 80 children were included in the study, with 40 in the experimental group and 40 in the control group. Children in the experimental group received an interactive robot-based distraction intervention, while those in the control group received routine care procedures. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Child Identification Form, Emotional Appearance Scale for Children, Wong-Baker Facial Pain Scale, Children's Fear Scale, and Children's Anxiety Scale-State. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS 27.0 for Windows software package with descriptive statistics, independent groups t-test, dependent groups t-test, and intraclass correlation coefficient. The emotional distress, pain, fear, and anxiety scores of children who underwent the interactive robot-based distraction intervention were statistically significantly lower than those of the control group (p<0.05). A significant decrease in fear and anxiety levels was observed in the experimental group, while an increase was detected in the control group. This study demonstrates that interactive robot-based distraction intervention may be an effective method for managing emotional distress, pain, fear, and anxiety in pediatric emergency departments. It is believed that the integration of similar distraction techniques into pediatric emergency care practices could be effective in improving children's hospital experiences. Future research should examine interactive robot-based distraction interventions during different medical invasive procedures in larger sample groups and age ranges.