The effect of exchanging drawings with peers on the happiness of children with cancer, aged 7–11 years: A clinical trial

INTRODUCTION: Improving the mental status of children with cancer is part of nurses’ duties in planning nursing care and is achieved in different ways. This study attempts to combine drawing with peer interaction to improve the mental status of sick children and investigate the effect of exchanging drawings with peers on these children’s happiness. METHOD: This clinical trial was conducted on a sample of 66 children with cancer, ages 7–11 years, who were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention was carried out over five weeks by the exchange of drawings between healthy children at school and children with cancer. Both groups of children drew one drawing each week. The children’s happiness was measured by the researcher before and after the intervention (i.e., week five) using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of happiness after the intervention. The happiness score was 3.15 ±0.34 in the control group and 3.02 ±0.3 in the intervention group before the intervention; afterwards, this score was 3.022± 0.22 among the controls and 3.11± 0.25 among the patients. The comparison of the two groups using the t-test showed P = 0.075 before the intervention and P = 0.11 after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Given the results obtained, future studies are recommended to administer lengthier interventions and enable the physical presence of healthy peers along sick children or to use the exchange of drawings with peers in combination with other psychological interventions so as to promote happiness in children with cancer.