To the Operating Room! Positive Effects of a Healthcare Clown Intervention on Children Undergoing Surgery.

In the present study we examined the positive effects of a healthcare clown intervention on children undergoing surgeries, and the role parent-child relationships may play in their effectiveness. Children between 5 and 12 years, who were scheduled to undergo elective surgical procedures in a large university hospital, were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG; = 35) that was visited by a healthcare clown, and a control group (CG; = 27) that received treatment as usual (i.e.