Bader, Valerie M. (1981) The development, evaluation and design of visual material for the preparation of children in the four to seven year age group for admission to hospital. (MPhil thesis), Kingston Polytechnic, .

Abstract

A study bas been made of designing materials specially for the preparation of young children for hospital. A survey was carried out of all such existing material and of all previous studies of the use of this material with children. The studies showed that although the materials were effective in reducing the traumas and anxieties of children about to be hospitalised, they were generally found to be of a low standard in terms of visual presentation and accuracy of information. This study attempted to develop new materials for this purpose which were highly pictorial, accurate in form and content and had a "games" approach. Design factors thought to be important when producing such materials for children were also surveyed and used in designing the new materials. A test was carried out to determine children's style preferences in pictorial illustrations depicting a medical subject matter. Four different illustrative styles were examined, including for the first time the use of colour photography. The result of the test showed a clear preference by children of the five to seven year old age group for colour photographs. This and other selected criteria, including the need for accuracy and realism, were used whenever possible when designing the new materials, which included three Concertina Books and related Inset Puzzles, a Ward Scene Kit, Puppets, Flash Cards, a Tape-slide Presentation and Exhibition Panels. The three Concertina Books and Ward Scene Kit are now in commercial production. In separate studies some of the material, when tested with children, was shown to be effective in increasing the understanding of medical information and in reducing tension during a medical procedure. The materials designed are generally more accurate and realistic in their portrayal of hospital and medical procedures than previously existing materials. It is hoped that the design criteria evolved will be used more generally in future materials for such purposes as informing children about hospital.

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