Analysis of children's drawings and stories.

An analysis of children's drawings and stories was completed on 60 youngsters--30 of whom were hospitalized for surgery, and a comparison group of 30 with no known history of hospitalization. Data analysis on the stories indicated that the hospitalized group, especially the males, experienced greatly exacerbated fears of injury, lessened self-esteem and increased dependency needs. The drawings of the hospitalized group showed body image distortions and heightened concerns with injury and damage. The opportunity to talk with the nurse examiner was, for most youngsters, a therapeutic experience as they asked questions and talked about their worries.