THE EFFECT OF COLORING THERAPY ON ANXIETY IN HOSPITALIZED PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Background: Children undergoing hospitalization often experience anxiety due to changes in their environment, medical procedures, and limited activities. Coloring therapy, as a form of play therapy, is believed to help reduce anxiety levels through enjoyable and calming activities. Purpose: This study aims to assess the effect of coloring therapy on the anxiety of preschool children treated at Bhayangkara Mohamad Hasan Hospital in Palembang. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest model This study used a quasi-experimental design with a nonequivalent control group design. The study sample was divided into two groups, namely the intervention group (n=16) who received coloring therapy and the control group (n=16) who did not receive the intervention. Anxiety levels were measured using the SCAS Preschool Anxiety Scale Questionnaire (Parent Report). Data analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test and Mann-Whitney U Test non-parametric test. Result: In the intervention group, the median anxiety score before coloring therapy was 20 (range 16–24) and decreased to 10 (range 6–14) after the intervention. Wilcoxon's analysis showed a significant difference (p = 0.000). Implication: Picture coloring therapy can be applied as an alternative for managing anxiety in preschool children undergoing hospitalization. In addition to health workers, parents can also use it to help reduce their children's anxiety due to unpleasant medical procedures. Keywords: Anxiety; Hospitalization; Play Therapy; Preschool Children