The impact of circumcision age on boys' anxiety and self-perception

The study was descriptive in nature, with the goal of determining the impact of circumcision age on boys' self-perception and anxiety. Between May and June 2021, the study included 342 male pupils in the fourth grade who were enrolled in state primary schools associated with the Trabzon Provincial Directorate of National Education and who matched the inclusion requirements. The Questionnaire, Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, and Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children were used to collect data for the study. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (number, percentage, mean, and standard deviation), Independent Sample t, One Way Anova, Mann Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis, Tamhane and Spearman correlation tests. The average age of circumcision for the children was 26.58±26.90 months and 21.10 percent of the children in the 3-6 age group were circumcised. The average total score on the Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children is 33.53±6.07 (min-max; 20-60) and the mean score on the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale is 63.49±8.19 (min-max; 0-80). The mean trait anxiety levels of individuals who were circumcised in the 3-6 age group were high and there was a significant difference (p<0.05). The mean self-perception scores of circumcised children aged 3-6 were low, but there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05). The father's education level and occupation, social security status, income perception, the child's psychological response to circumcision, and circumcision in operating room conditions all had a statistically significant difference in the Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children mean scores (p<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between the children's Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale mean score and the father's education and occupation, social security position, income perception, circumcision informing the child and post-circumcision difficulties. As a result, circumcision of children at the age of 3-6 increases their trait anxiety and it has been concluded that it has no effect on self-perception (self-concept). Nurses counsel families on the best age for circumcision and the importance of avoiding circumcision during the phallic era (3-6 years).