The Effect of a Social Robot on Children's Pain and Anxiety During Blood Draw

Abstract

Healthcare practitioners often use distraction techniques to ease children’s anxiety during blood draws. This study explored the effectiveness of a social robot, Softbank Robotics NAO, in reducing anxiety and pain for children aged 4-12 during blood draws. The robot engaged with children using behaviors tailored to the children’s age. Interestingly, results indicated the robot significantly increased anxiety, but pain levels remained unchanged. We argue that this effect may result from the robot’s novelty and that, over the long term, the robot could have a positive impact on anxiety, consistent with other studies. This research underscores the potential of social robots to alleviate children’s anxiety in medical procedures, enhancing patient experience in pediatric healthcare.