ABSTRACT
We report the effects of using a visual and auditory stimulus signaling impending painful medical procedures versus "safe" periods on the affective behavior of a hospitalized infant. The results of a reversal design suggested that the signaling procedures increased positive behaviors and decreased negative behaviors during both noninvasive and invasive caregiver events.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Arousal , Association Learning , Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/psychology , Sick Role , Tracheostomy/psychology , Cues , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Patient Care TeamABSTRACT
We examined the effectiveness of using dolls to teach young children with tracheostomies to self-administer a suctioning procedure. Four children between the ages of 5 and 8 years, who had had tracheostomies for 6 months or longer, participated. After skills were taught via doll-centered simulations, in vivo skills were evaluated. All of the training and probe sessions were conducted in the participants' classrooms or homes. Results of a multiple baseline design across subjects and skill components indicated that the performance of all children improved as a function of training. Skill maintenance was demonstrated by all participants during follow-up assessments conducted 2 to 6 weeks posttraining. Results of a questionnaire completed by caregivers and interviews with the children revealed high levels of satisfaction with the training procedures and outcomes.
