Effects of tablet-based augmented reality on anxiety, fear, and pain during venipuncture in children: a randomized controlled trial.

Authors

Emine Zahide Özdemir, İrem Nur Özkaya, Ruşen Çiftçi, Murat Bektaş

Published in

BMC pediatrics. Jul 06, 2026. Epub Jul 06, 2026.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two different tablet-based augmented reality (AR) applications on anxiety, fear, and pain during venipuncture in children aged 5-12 years.
A prospective, three-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted in the pediatric blood draw unit of a university hospital. Children were randomly assigned to one of three groups: AR Group A, AR Group B, or usual care (control). Anxiety and fear were assessed before and after venipuncture using the Children's Anxiety Meter-State and the Child Fear Scale, respectively. Post-procedural pain was assessed using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale. Outcomes were independently reported by children, parents, and nurses. Repeated measures ANOVA and Welch ANOVA were used for statistical analyses.
A total of 120 children (40 per group) were included in the final analysis. Baseline characteristics were comparable across groups. Both AR intervention groups demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety and fear from pre- to post-venipuncture compared with the control group (p < .001). Significant time, group, and time × group effects were observed for both outcomes. Post-procedural pain scores were significantly lower in the AR groups than in the control group across child-, parent-, and nurse-reported assessments (p < .001).
Tablet-based augmented reality interventions effectively reduced anxiety, fear, and pain during venipuncture in children. These findings suggest that AR represents a promising non-pharmacological strategy for managing procedural distress in pediatric nursing practice.
Augmented reality applications delivered via tablet computers can be easily integrated into routine pediatric nursing care and may enhance children's procedural experiences during venipuncture without disrupting standard clinical workflows.
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06575816. Retrospectively registered 16 August 2024.

PMID:
42410411
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 07 Jul 2026.

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