Abstract

• The general fearfulness of hospitalized school-age children and the emotional anxiety of their mothers were investigated and compared to those of normal children and their mothers, in order to provide theoretical basis for establishing comprehensive nursing care of hospitalized children including their mothers. The present study was carried out from Sept. 5th to Oct. 3rd, 1983. A total of 81 hospital i zed children and their mothers were investigated and 95 normal elementary school children and their mothers as control group were surveyed. The general fearfulness of children and the emotional anxiety of their mothers were measured through questionaire by using Geer's FSS-II scale and Spielberger's STAI scale, respectively. The results were analyzed by computer using S.P.S.S. program and summarized as follows: 1. The emotional anxiety of the mothers of hospitalized children was greater than that of normal children's mothers.(P=0.000). 2. The general fearfulness of hospitalized children was greater than that of normal children (P=0.000). 3. The general fearfulness of hospitalized children varied with children's age and sex, mother's age and mother's experience of hospitalization. a) The general fearfulness of the hospitalized children at the age of 7~9 was greater than that of the age 10~12. (P=0.020) b) Girl's scored greater fearfulness than boys. (P=0.037) c) The younger mother's age resulted in the higher children fearfulness. (P=0.0059) d) When the mothers did not have experience of hospitalization, the children's fearfulness was high. (P=0.014) 4. The anxiety-state of hospitalized children's mother was proportionally reacted to their anxiety-trait. (r=0.694, P=0.000) 5. The relationship between mother's emotional anxiety and their hospitalized children's general fearfulness failed to show statistical significance. (r=0.1184, P>0.05). These results indicated that the general fearfulness of hospitalized children was affected by environmental factors beside mother's emotional anxiety. An extensive study on the factors influencing the general fearfulness of hospitalized children is needed.

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