A play-based investigation into children’s coping pre and post vaccination. A view from the child and parent’s perspectives (pilot).

Name- A play-based investigation into children’s coping pre and post vaccination. A view from the child and parent’s perspectives (pilot) Why- to examine children’s coping responses before, during and after a routine vaccination procedure including a comparison of those having pre vaccination play therapy (experimental group) to those who have no pre vaccination play therapy (control group). The vaccination procedure may involve one or two injections at the time of vaccination (e.g. flu shot and 4yo vaccination) however this only occurs on the vaccination procedure visit. What- • Play Assessments (Pretend Play Enjoyment Developmental Checklist (PPEDC) https://www.learntoplayevents.com/product/pretend-play-enjoyment-developmental-checklist-ppe-dc-starter-package/ and 6PSM BASIC Ph assessment -https://www.lcps.org/cms/lib4/VA01000195/Centricity/Domain/8931/HOW%20CHILDREN%20COPE.pdf • Play Therapy (Pre-Vaccination Play Therapy (experimental group only) and Post Vaccination Play Therapy) (individualised pre planned sessions facilitated by the researcher who is a registered play therapist) • iPupilX data https://www.deakin.edu.au/research/impact-stories/monitoring-advertising-to-improve-childrens-health (One vaccination session with iPupilX glasses on) • Parent surveys https://researchsurveys.deakin.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_bd5hSsStScwo4aa Parents participation involves bringing their child to the appointments, being with their child for the vaccination procedure and completing the two surveys. They are not instructed to do any type of play at home or given any information material to help with children's coping pre and post vaccination with their child. Plain Language description of intervention: Experimental: 1. Children in the experimental group will be required to participate in a play assessment session which is a minimum of 15minutes and a maximum of one hour. They will undertake two play based assessments (a drawing (6PSM- BASIC Ph) which has six parts where they are invited to draw a main character, a mission, what or who can help, who or what obstacle there is, how they cope and what happened next. They then engaged in an observed free play session (PPEDC) with some chosen toys to determine their pretend play level) they also practice wearing special glasses (iPupilX) (which will be kept on for the session and will record their eye movements) one-on-one with a play therapist. 2. They will then return for a pre vaccination play therapy session which will be individualised to their pretend play level and their coping style. It will go for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of an hour. They will not wear the special glasses for this session. 3. They will then have their vaccination as usual, They will wear special glasses which monitor their eye movements. 4.Following their vaccination children will be invited back for a post vaccination play session which will go for a minimum of 30minutes and a maximum of one hour where the 6PSM BASIC Ph drawing assessment will be conducted again to measure their coping style (they will again wear the special glasses to track their eye movements) and then they will engage in child centred play therapy to have an opportunity to process any concerns from the vaccination procedure. They do not have a vaccination on this day. Summary: • 3 play sessions, over a 2-month period, for a minimum of 15minutes and upto one hour each sessions of one-on-one play therapy • a routine vaccination procedure with eye tracking glasses on. • 1 x parent survey before the vaccination procedure and 1 x parent survey after the vaccination procedure. Location - Torquay Medical Health and Wellness Clinic Play Therapy sessions will be digitally audio-visually recorded and conducted on a therapeutic protocol which will be based on the results of the play assessments and play level of each child. To ensure fidelity all assessments will be blinded and scored by another member of the research team.