The impact of cognitive interventions in reducing intensity of pain and distress, and improving situation-related quality of life of children with cancer

The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of use of combined cognitive interventions to prepare the child and parent, and distraction of child’s attention on reported intensity of pain, distress caused by lumbar puncture, and situation-related quality of life of children with cancer. This was a clinical trial using pretest-posttest method and a control group. Study population consisted of all children with cancer, attending Mahak and Mofid hospitals in Tehran. Forty-one child-parent pairs were selected and randomly divided into case and control groups. Children were visited twice. In the first visit, both groups received normal care. In the second, case group received cognitive interventions, and control group received normal care. Data were collected through demographic details questionnaire, Oucher, CHEOPS, PedsQL Present Functioning Visual Analogue Scales in pediatric medicine. Study results showed that cognitive interventions to prepare the child and parent, and distraction of child’s attention were able to reduce intensity of pain and distress level, and improve child’s situation-related quality of life. There was a positive and significant correlation between reported intensity of pain and distress level, a negative and significant correlation between situation-related quality of life and intensity of pain, and a negative and significant correlation between situation-related quality of life and distress. Cognitive interventions were found to be effective in reducing reported intensity of pain and distress, and improving situation-related quality of life in children with cancer, undergoing lumbar puncture. Cognitive interventions are recommended in this painful procedure, for management of child’s pain and distress.