Medical Fears, Coping Behaviors, and Acute Pain Perception in Children with Cancer

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the r·elationship between the variables of medical fears, coping behaviors, and acute pain perception in 17 children with cancer who were encountering a painful medical proqedure. Children between the ages 3 and 15 years completed the Child Medical Fear Scale (CMFS) pr~or to having a painful medical procedure performed. The painful medical procedure, the lumbar puncture, was videotaped. The coping.b~haviors exhibited by_the children were observed and classified as active or passive behaviors. Immediately_following the lumbar puncture, the children rated their pain perception utilizing a visual analogue scale. The majority of the children's scores on the CMFS indicated a moderately low level of fear of medical experiences. The· majority of the' children perceived a great deal of pain during the lumbar puncture. Over half of the children utilized a combination of both active and passive behaviors.during the five phases of the painful medical procedure. No significant differences were found in the ranking of children's active or passive coping behaviors and their reported medical fear levels. Children who exhibited passive coping behaviors reported more . pain than did children who utilized active coping behaviors. No significant relationship was found between medical fear levels and acute pain perception.