This capstone project explores how interactive media can reduce perioperative anxiety in pediatric patients by offering a developmentally appropriate, play-based intervention. This project draws on research from child psychology, anesthesiology, and human-centered design to understand how preoperative anxiety emotionally and physiologically affects children, especially in hospital environments where unfamiliar routines and separation from caregivers can cause distress (Jin et al., 2023). Children benefit from pre-operative preparation and multi-modal interventions to assist in the transition into the operating room. However, despite these interventions, children can still experience distress. This project proposes a simple, engaging video game to combat pediatric preoperative anxiety tailored to children ages 4-10, as these are the ages at which children are most susceptible to preoperative stress and most likely to benefit from media interventions (Cheng et al., 2022; Chicas et al., 2023; Hou et al., 2023). The game is intended to be played in the preoperative space during the transition to the operating room. Through tasks involving breathing exercises, engagement, and reward, the game offers an accessible and immersive coping tool. It also allows flexibility for different surgical settings and timing constraints. By integrating principles from child life, media studies, and clinical care, this capstone advocates for nonpharmacological interventions that meet children where they are: through play. The project further supports the role of interactive storytelling in pediatric care, highlighting how media can offer agency, familiarity, and calm in moments of fear.
