Abstract:
Hospitalization in preschool children often triggers anxiety due to the unfamiliar hospital environment, frightening medical procedures, and separation from their routines and caregivers. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of play therapy in reducing hospitalization-induced anxiety among preschool children. A literature review was conducted by searching articles across PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar published between 2016 and 2026. Based on the selection process, 10 journals met the inclusion criteria for analysis. The review findings indicate that play therapy is generally effective in reducing hospitalization anxiety in preschool children. This is evidenced by decreased anxiety scores, a shift in anxiety levels from moderate or severe to mild, and enhanced emotional comfort during hospitalization. The identified interventions include drawing, coloring, story telling, playing puzzles, playing Lego, and origami, with research designs predominantly utilizing quasi-experiments. These findings suggest that play therapy is a beneficial non-pharmacological intervention to support pediatric nursing care and is highly recommended for integration into hospital care standards.
