Factors Affecting Children's Attitudes Toward Health Care and Responses to Stressful Medical Procedures

Assessed factors hypothesized to influence children's and mothers' attitudes toward health care phenomena and children's distress during a stressful medical procedure in a pediatric outpatient clinic. Children, ages 6-11 years, and their mothers attending a county health department for a well-child physical examination participated. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Results indicated that several factors, including age, health locus of control, and maternal health care attitudes were significant predictors and/or correlates of children's attitudes toward health care and their behavioral responses during an aversive procedure. Implications of these findings for health prevention and education efforts with children are discussed.