The influence of playful activities on children's anxiety during the preoperative period at the outpatient surgical center.

OBJECTIVE To verify the influence of playful activities during the preoperative period on the anxiety of children participating in the therapeutic recreation project conducted at the outpatient surgical center of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil. METHODS The modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) was administered to 50 children between 5 and 12 years of age undergoing medical procedures at the outpatient surgical center. The children were divided in two groups: recreation group (individuals who participated in playful interventions in the recreation room) and control group (individuals who did not participate in playful interventions). Anxiety was measured using the mYPAS at two different moments: soon after the individuals arrived at the outpatient surgical center (minute 0) and 15 minutes after the first measurement. RESULTS The results showed that soon after arriving at the outpatient surgical center, the patients did not have significant differences regarding anxiety, showing high values. However, after 15 minutes waiting or undergoing intervention, the children in the recreation group had reduced anxiety levels and those in the control group remained anxious. CONCLUSIONS During the preoperative period, children who participate in playful activities in the recreation room have their anxiety reduced in comparison with those that only stay in the preoperative holding area for at least 15 minutes.