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Description:
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Art is assumed to possess therapeutic benefits of healing for children , as part of patient -focused design in healthcare . Research on adult patients suggests that by infusing art into the healthcare setting , the design may reduce stress that could impede the healing process . Since the psychological and physiological well -being of children in healthcare settings is extremely important in contributing to the healing process , it is vitally important to identify what type of art supports stress reduction . Nature art was anticipated to be the most preferred and have stress -reducing effects on pediatric patients . The objective of this study was to investigate what type of art children prefer , and what type of art has potentially stress -reducing effects on pediatric patients . This study used a three -phase , multimethod approach : a focus group study , a randomized study , and a quasi -experimental study design . Findings from three phases were evaluated . The objective of Phase 1 was to discern what type of art school children prefer , Phase 2 focused on what type of art hospitalized children prefer and to compare these preferences identified in Phase 1 . Phase 3 was a quasi -experimental study to determine if nature art has a potentially healing effect on pediatric patients when compared to abstract art or no art at all . The findings of this study demonstrate that nature art is the preferred type of art by children from age 5 to 17 . But there were no significant differences among the three art intervention groups of pediatric patients . These findings led to design recommendations regarding what art should be placed in children'Ã Â Ã Â s hospital rooms in order to create a stress -reducing , healing environment . |