The Association Between Parent's and Healthcare Professional's Behavior and Children's Coping and Distress During Venepuncture

OBJECTIVES: Examine the association between children's distress and coping during venepuncture with parent's and healthcare professional's behavior in a sample from the UK. METHODS: Fifty children aged 7-16 years accompanied by a carer were videotaped while having venepuncture. Verbalizations of children, parents, and healthcare professionals were coded using the Child-Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale-Revised. RESULTS: Children's distress was associated with child's age, anxiety, and distress promoting behavior of adults (R(2) = .91). Children's coping was associated with age, anxiety, and coping promoting behaviors of adults (R(2) = .57). Associations were stronger between healthcare professional's behavior and child coping; and between parent's behaviors and child distress. Empathizing, apologizing, and criticism were not frequently used by adults in this sample (<12%). CONCLUSION: This study supports and extends previous research showing adult's behavior is important in children's distress and coping during needle procedures. Clinical implications and methodological issues are discussed.