Journals / Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine / 2026 / Volume: 8 Issue: 5

The effect of immersive virtual reality and music on anxiety, fear, and pain during circumcision surgery in children: a randomized controlled study

Çocuklarda sünnet ameliyatı sırasında sürükleyici sanal gerçeklik ve müziğin kaygı, korku ve ağrı üzerindeki etkisi: rastgele kontrollü bir çalışma

Hamide Nur Çevik Özdemir(AFYONKARAHİSAR SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0002-1199-8801
Ahmet Ali Tuncer(AFYONKARAHISAR HEALTH SCIENCES UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE)0000-0002-2750-7317
İbrahim Kılıç(AFYON KOCATEPE UNIVERSITY)0000-0003-0595-8771
Pages
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Publication Date
2025-09-16
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Health professionals, nurses, can use effective nonpharmacological strategies, such as music and IVR, to manage fear, anxiety and pain associated with surgical procedures in children.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Aims: Circumcision is a surgical procedure that causes pain, anxiety, and fear in children.
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Key Findings & Data:Methods: This randomized controlled trial included boys aged 6-8 years who were circumcised at a university hospital between September 2022 and July 2023.
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Conclusion & Impact:Health professionals, nurses, can use effective nonpharmacological strategies, such as music and IVR, to manage fear, anxiety and pain associated with surgical procedures in children.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:2022 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Child · virtual reality · pain management

Abstract

Aims: Circumcision is a surgical procedure that causes pain, anxiety, and fear in children. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (IVR) and music on anxiety, fear, and pain levels of children during circumcision surgery. Methods: This randomized controlled trial included boys aged 6-8 years who were circumcised at a university hospital between September 2022 and July 2023. Using stratified block randomization, the sample group’s children were split into three groups: music (n=24), IVR (n=24), and control group (n=24). The Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale, the Children’s Anxiety Meter Scale, the Children’s Fear Scale, and a Participant Information Form were used to gather the data. Descriptive statistics, t tests, analysis of variance and Duncan and Bonferroni adjustments were used to examine the data. Results: Children in the IVR and music groups experienced much less worry and dread during and after circumcision than those in the control group. The mean pain scores of the experimental groups during and after circumcision were significantly lower than those of the control group. Fear, anxiety, and pain levels were significantly different in the IVR group compared to the other groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: Children’s anxiety, fear, and pain levels were successfully decreased by the use of IVR and music interventions during the circumcision operation. Health professionals, nurses, can use effective nonpharmacological strategies, such as music and IVR, to manage fear, anxiety and pain associated with surgical procedures in children.

Özet

Amaç: Sünnet, çocuklarda ağrı, kaygı ve korkuya neden olan cerrahi bir işlemdir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, sürükleyici sanal gerçeklik (IVR) ve müziğin, sünnet ameliyatı sırasında çocukların kaygı, korku ve ağrı düzeyleri üzerindeki etkinliğini incelemektir. Yöntemler: Bu randomize kontrollü çalışmaya, Eylül 2022 ile Temmuz 2023 tarihleri arasında bir üniversite hastanesinde sünnet edilen 6-8 yaş arası erkek çocuklar dahil edilmiştir. Tabakalı blok randomizasyon yöntemi kullanılarak, örneklem grubundaki çocuklar üç gruba ayrılmıştır: müzik (n = 24), IVR (n = 24) ve kontrol grubu (n = 24). Veriler Wong-Baker Yüz Ağrısı Değerlendirme Ölçeği, Çocuk Kaygı Ölçer Ölçeği, Çocuk Korku Ölçeği ve Katılımcı Bilgi Formu kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Verilerin incelenmesinde tanımlayıcı istatistikler, t testleri, varyans analizi ve Duncan ve Bonferroni düzeltmeleri kullanılmıştır. Sonuçlar: IVR ve müzik gruplarındaki çocuklar, sünnet sırasında ve sonrasında kontrol grubundaki çocuklara kıyasla çok daha az endişe ve korku yaşadılar. Deney gruplarının sünnet sırasında ve sonrasında ortalama ağrı skorları, kontrol grubuna kıyasla anlamlı derecede düşüktü. Korku, kaygı ve ağrı düzeyleri IVR grubunda diğer gruplara kıyasla anlamlı derecede farklıydı (p < 0,05). Sonuç: Sünnet operasyonu sırasında IVR ve müzik müdahalelerinin kullanımıyla çocukların kaygı, endişe ve ağrı düzeyleri başarıyla azaltıldı. Sağlık profesyonelleri ve hemşireler, çocuklarda cerrahi işlemlerle ilişkili korku, kaygı ve ağrıyı yönetmek için müzik ve IVR gibi etkili farmakolojik olmayan stratejileri kullanabilirler.

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Cite This Article

Özdemir, H. N. Ç., Tuncer, A. A., Kılıç, İ. (2025). The effect of immersive virtual reality and music on anxiety, fear, and pain during circumcision surgery in children: a randomized controlled study. Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine, Volume: 8 Issue: 5. https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1744007

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