Nc. Frank et al., PARENT AND STAFF BEHAVIOR, PREVIOUS CHILD MEDICAL EXPERIENCE, AND MATERNAL ANXIETY AS THEY RELATE TO CHILD PROCEDURAL DISTRESS AND COPING, Journal of pediatric psychology, 20(3), 1995, pp. 277-289
Assessed the influence of adult in-session behavior and psychological
variables on 77 preschool children's coping and distress during routin
e immunizations. Maternal anxiety was not related to the behavior of t
he parent, staff or child. However, in-session behavior by one person
was highly correlated with in-session behavior by the other people in
the treatment room. The effects of parent and staff in-session behavio
rs, previous child medical experience, and maternal anxiety on child d
istress and coping was examined using hierarchical multiple regression
procedures. Child coping was predicted by parent and staff behavior w
hereas child distress was predicted by parent behavior and by the leve
l of the child's distress during previous medical and dental experienc
es. Implications for intervention and future research are discussed.