The Impact of Starbright World on Children Being Treated at the NIH

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Child, Hospitalized

Study type: Observational

Funder types: NIH

Identifiers

NCT00001816

990105

99-C-0105

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study seeks to evaluate the impact of Starbright World (SBW) on hospitalized children. SBW is a virtual environment designed to link seriously ill children into an interactive online community where they can play games, learn about their condition, or talk with other ill children who are connected to the network. Our outcome evaluation of SBW will include assessments of pain, mood (anxious, depressed and energetic), anger, loneliness, and willingness to return to the NIH for treatment of children who are being treated at NIH. They will be assessed while engaging in "normal" recreational activities (in one of two available playrooms) and while using Starbright World. In addition, we will conduct a process evaluation of the implementation of Starbright World.

Full description

This study seeks to evaluate the impact of Starbright World (SBW) on hospitalized children. SBW is a virtual environment designed to link seriously ill children into an interactive online community where they can play games, learn about their condition, or talk with other ill children who are connected to the network. Our outcome evaluation of SBW will include assessments of pain, mood (anxious, depressed and energetic), anger, loneliness, and willingness to return to the NIH for treatment of children who are being treated at the NIH. They will be assessed while engaging in "normal" recreational activities (in one of two available playrooms) and while using Starbright World. In addition, we will conduct a process evaluation of the implementation of Starbright World.

Sex: All

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Children between the ages of 8 and 21.

Currently on active protocol at NIH.

Access to playrooms on the 9th, 11th, 13th, and 14th floors.

Ability to read and understand English.

No presence of mental illness.

Ability to understand and/or perform tasks involved in using Starbright World.