The Effect of Gardening Activities on Anxiety and Psychosocial Symptoms of Hospitalized Children

Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Psychosocial Symptoms; Child; Pediatric Nursing; Investigation of Anxiety Levels and Psychosocial Symptoms of Children Hospitalized for Acute Diseases During Their Hospital Stay; Anxiety; Activity; Hospital; Gardening

Treatments: Other: Clinical routine treatment and nursing care protocol; Other: Garden Activities Program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06655961

TOGU_HEM_EB_001

Details and patient eligibility

About

The experience of hospitalization in childhood can often lead to traumatic consequences. Various practices (play, art therapy, music therapy, etc.) are used to help children cope with this process. In recent years, attention has been drawn to nature-based approaches in addition to existing practices. Within the scope of this approach, this study was planned in a parallel group (experimental-control) randomized controlled experimental design to determine the effect of garden activities on anxiety levels and psychosocial symptoms of hospitalized children aged 6-12 years. Hypotheses of the study H1: The gardening activities program applied to hospitalized children; H1a: There is an effect on children's anxiety. H1b: There is an effect on psychosocial symptoms of children. In this direction, the population of the study will consist of children between the ages of 6-12 in the children's ward of University Research and Application Hospital. The sample size determined as a result of G*power analysis was found as control (18) and intervention (18). The research will be conducted between September 2024 and June 2025. 'Child Descriptive Information Form', "Child Follow-up Form", "Child Anxiety Scale-Conditioning" and "Psychosocial Symptoms Diagnostic Scale for Hospitalized Children" will be used for data collection. The data collection process consists of three stages: pre-intervention period, intervention period and post-intervention period. Children in the intervention group will have three sessions of gardening activities within the scope of the 'Gardening Activities Program' during their hospitalization. Children in the control group will receive services within the scope of the routine treatment and nursing care protocol of the clinic during hospitalization.

Enrollment: 36 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 6 to 12 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• The age of the children is between 6-12 years old
• Hospitalization due to an acute medical diagnosis
• Hospitalization for at least 3 days
• Approval of the child's participation in the session by the responsible doctor
• The child is conscious and fully orientated
• Voluntariness of the child and parent to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

• Hospitalization for more than 7 days
• No previous hospitalization experience
• High-risk drug use
• Having a chronic disease that suppresses the immune system
• Having a special condition that prevents him/her from participating in garden activities (physical, mental disability)
• Having skin conditions that prevent them from participating in garden activities
• Plant allergy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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36 participants in 2 patient groups

Control Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Children in this group will receive services within the scope of the routine treatment and nursing care protocol of the clinic during hospitalisation. No intervention will be applied to the control group of this study until the discharge process takes place. However, on the day of discharge, the children in the control group and their parents will be informed about the garden activities by the researcher. A single session gardening activity will be planned according to the request of the child and parent. During this session, children will be given the opportunity to choose a plant and a pot, and then planting, watering and creating a name card will be carried out.

Treatment:

Other: Clinical routine treatment and nursing care protocol

Intervention Group

Experimental group

Description:

Children in this group will have three sessions of gardening activities within the scope of the 'Gardening Activities Programme' during their hospitalisation. The sessions will take place only with the active participation of the child participant and the researcher (EB); there will be one child participant in each session. The duration of the sessions will be between 30-45 minutes. The sessions in the 'Garden Activities Programme' regarding the session planning of the activities to be carried out with children are as follows. Session 1: Pot Preparation and Plant Selection Session 2: Creating a Plant Arrangement Session 3: Care and Illustration

Treatment:

Other: Garden Activities Program