Latest Research: Parents of Children with Cancer Experience Improved Emotions After Meeting Dr. Red Nose!
“Taiwan’s First Study on Improving the Emotions of Parents of Children with Cancer Through Medical Clowning” Is Born
In May 2023, “Taiwan’s First Study on Improving the Emotions of Parents of Children with Cancer Through Medical Clowning” was published. The study indicated that medical clowning services can significantly alleviate parents’ psychological distress. While their children are hospitalized for cancer treatment, parents experience considerable psychological distress. Medical clowning services improve parents’ emotional state by improving the children’s emotional state
The study was titled “Medical clowning influences the emotions of parents of children undergoing cancer treatment: A quasi-experimental study,” and was published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing in May 2023. From June 2016 to April 2020, the study recruited 96 parents of children with cancer who were undergoing cancer treatment. The children with cancer and their parents were invited to complete a basic information form, the parents’ Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS-5), and an emotional assessment scale for the children with cancer and their parents. Descriptive analysis, bivariate analysis, and structural equation modeling were used for the analysis.
Previous studies have indicated that parents can experience improved psychological states after receiving medical clowning services before their children undergo surgery. However, no relevant studies have yet confirmed the effectiveness of medical clowning services in improving the psychological states of parents of children with cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether medical clowning services can improve the emotional states of parents of children undergoing cancer treatment.
This study indicated that medical clowning services can significantly alleviate parents’ psychological distress for two reasons: first, medical clowning services can directly improve parents’ emotional states; second, medical clowning services can indirectly improve parents’ emotional states.
Practice and Application
Clinically, the emotional states of parents of children with cancer should be continuously monitored. Medical clowning services should continue to be provided to children with cancer and their parents in pediatric oncology wards, and medical clowns should become part of multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
Thanks to the research team led by Dr. Wei-Wen Wu, whose tireless efforts produced these results and made the public service mission of Dr. Red Nose even more firmly grounded. We look forward to a friendly healthcare environment that is “#People-centered,” where hospitals are no longer cold but filled with warmth and laughter.
Journal Information
Wu, W. W., Lu, F. L., Shiu, C. S., Tang, C. C., Jou, S. T., Chen, J. S., & Liu, Y. L. (2022). The effectiveness of a medical clowning program on improving emotional status among hospitalized children undergoing cancer treatment: A quasi-experimental study. J Nurs Scholarsh, 54(2), 161-168. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12720
Wu, W. W., Shiu, C. S., Lu, F. L., Tang, C. C., Jou, S. T., Chen, J. S., Liu, Y. L., & Tsai, S. Y. (2023). Medical clowning influences the emotions of parents of children undergoing cancer treatment: A quasi-experimental study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 71, e11-e17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2023.04.009
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Bibliographic Information
Article Title: “Medical Clowning Influences the Emotions of Parents of Children Undergoing Cancer Treatment: A Quasi-Experimental Study”Medical clowning influences the emotions of parents of children undergoing cancer treatment: A quasi-experimental study
Published in: Journal of Pediatric Nursing
Publication Date: May 2023
Abstract transcription:
Dr. Wei-Wen Wu (Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University)
Dr. Cheng-Hsi Hsu (Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, National Taiwan University)
Dr. Li Lu (Director, Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital)
Dr. Chia-Chun Tang (Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University)
Dr. Hsien-Tang Chou (Attending Physician, National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital)
Dr. Chien-Hsu Chen (Director, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital)
Dr. Yen-Lin Liu (Director, Division of Pediatric Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital)
Dr. Shao-Yu Tsai (Professor, Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University)