Psychological Interventions for Vaccine Injections in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review of Randomized and Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND: This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of psychological interventions for reducing vaccination pain and related outcomes in children and adolescents. DESIGN/METHODS: Database searches identified relevant randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials. Data were extracted and pooled using established methods. Pain, fear, and distress were considered critically important outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were included; 2 included adolescents. Findings showed no benefit of false suggestion (n=240) for pain (standardized mean difference [SMD] −0.21 [−0.47, 0.05]) or distress (SMD −0.28 [−0.59, 0.11]), or for use of repeated reassurance (n=82) for pain (SMD −0.18 [−0.92, 0.56]), fear (SMD −0.18 [−0.71, 0.36]), or distress (SMD 0.10 [−0.33, 0.54]). Verbal distraction (n=46) showed reduced distress (SMD −1.22 [−1.87, −0.58]), but not reduced pain (SMD −0.27 [−1.02, 0.47]). Similarly, video distraction (n=328) showed reduced distress (SMD −0.58 [−0.82, −0.34]), but not reduced pain (SMD −0.88 [−1.78, 0.02]) or fear (SMD 0.08 [−0.25, 0.41]). Music distraction demonstrated reduced pain when used with children (n=417) (SMD −0.45 [−0.71, −0.18]), but not with adolescents (n=118) (SMD −0.04 [−0.42, 0.34]). Breathing with a toy (n=368) showed benefit for pain (SMD −0.49 [−0.85, −0.13]), but not fear (SMD −0.60 [−1.22, 0.02]); whereas breathing without a toy (n=136) showed no benefit for pain (SMD −0.27 [−0.61, 0.07]) or fear (SMD −0.36 [−0.86, 0.15]). There was no benefit for a breathing intervention (cough) in children and adolescents (n=136) for pain (SMD −0.17 [−0.41, 0.07]). CONCLUSIONS: Psychological interventions with some evidence of benefit in children include: verbal distraction, video distraction, music distraction, and breathing with a toy.