Movie making as a cognitive distraction for paediatric patients receiving radiotherapy treatment: qualitative interview study

OBJECTIVES: To establish the outcomes achieved by using an innovative movie-making programme designed to reduce fear of radiotherapy among paediatric patients. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive evaluation based on semistructured, qualitative interviews with purposeful sampling and thematic analysis. SETTING: Tertiary Cancer Centre. PARTICIPANTS: 20 parents of paediatric patients who had produced a movie of their radiation therapy experience and were in a follow-up phase of cancer management. RESULTS: Participants attributed a broad range of outcomes to the movie-making program. These included that the programme had helped reduce anxiety and distress exhibited by paediatric patients and contributed to a willingness to receive treatment. Other outcomes were that the completed movies had been used in school reintegration and for maintaining social connections. CONCLUSIONS: Allowing children to create a video of their experience of radiotherapy provided a range of benefits to paediatric patients that varied according to their needs. For some patients, movie-making offered a valuable medium for overcoming fear of the unknown as well as increasing understanding of treatment processes. For others, the development of a personalised video offered an important cognitive/attentional distraction through engaging with an age-appropriate activity. Together these outcomes helped children maintain self-control and a positive outlook.