Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, cilt.89, ss.390-397, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
Background Hospital admission and invasive procedures are significant stressors that trigger fear, anxiety about pain, and avoidance behaviors in children, which can negatively affect treatment compliance and the hospital experience. This study aims to examine the relationships and predictors between fear of medical procedures, fear and avoidance of pain, and perceived pain intensity in children aged 8–12 years. Method The sample for this descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study comprised 200 children who were hospitalised in the paediatric clinics of a hospital in Adana between September 2025 and December 2025. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a Personal Information Form, the Children's Medical Fears Scale (CMFS), the Fear of Pain Questionnaire - Child Version (FOPQ-C), and the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale. Results Positive and significant correlations were found between pain intensity perceived using the CMFS (r = 0.42; p ' 0.001) and levels of fear/avoidance of pain (r = 0.56; p ' 0.001). In regression analysis, fear/avoidance of pain was determined to be the strongest predictor of fear of medical procedures (β = 0.51; p ' 0.001). The medical procedure fear and fear of pain scores of children hospitalised in surgical wards were significantly higher than those of children hospitalised in medical wards (p ' 0.05). Furthermore, it was determined that children whose mother or father was a healthcare worker had higher fear/avoidance of pain scores (p ' 0.05). Conclusion Fear of medical procedures, fear/avoidance of pain, and perceived pain intensity are strongly interrelated in children, with fear/avoidance of pain being the primary determinant of fear of medical procedures. Findings indicate that children hospitalised in surgical clinics, those in younger age groups, and those whose parents are healthcare workers are at particular risk in terms of fear.