Needle anxiety is a common problem among children. The role of the child’s expectations and the positive impact of magic in this is yet unknown. This study examines the influence of the child’s...Show moreNeedle anxiety is a common problem among children. The role of the child’s expectations and the positive impact of magic in this is yet unknown. This study examines the influence of the child’s prior expectations of fear on the experienced fear during the vaccination and whether receiving a magic-based intervention, that is watching a video of the Dutch illusionist Victor Mids during the vaccination, and next to that knowing Victor, had an influence on the experienced fear, controlling for the expected fear of the child. 360 children of selected locations of GGD Hollands Midden participated in the cluster randomized between-within subjects study in April 2024. Their self-reported scores on fear before and after the vaccination and about knowing Victor Mids were used. Results showed that 30.4 percent of variance in experienced fear could be explained by the child’s expected fear (p < .001). Receiving the magic-based intervention showed to have an fear reducing effect compared to the control group (p < 0.13). Knowing Victor Mids appeared to have no effect on the experienced fear of the child. The child’s expectations as an important predictor and possible cause of needle anxiety and the positive influence of magic provide an important contribution for future interventions. Due to the knowledge gap of the impact of magic on more aspects than fear in needle anxiety, future research should aim for more insight in the impact of magic on needle anxiety and how to influence the child’s expectations, possibly by magic, in a more representative sample.Show less
