The Children's Action-Reaction Assessment Tool (CARAT) as an observational technique for assessing symptom management: An initial validation study with children aged 3–7 years undergoing needle procedures

Purpose

For many children, needle procedures are fearful events that are often painful. The first step in symptom management is to assess the child's pain and fear, and the next step is to use coping strategies to provide symptom relief for children who experience or feel pain and fear during procedures. The Children's Action–Reaction Assessment Tool (CARAT) is built on action–reaction strategies. This study aimed to determine the inter-rater reliability of the CARAT when used during needle procedures with 3- to 7-year-old children.

Design and Methods

We used a quantitative approach in which 21 children were observed by two independent observers during needle procedures to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of the CARAT. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, and the observation scores were calculated with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) test on SPSS for Windows, version 25.

Results

The completed CARAT indicated the use of action–reaction strategies. Neither action nor reaction strategies were frequently used. The parents were seldom involved in the procedure. The inter-rater reliability showed a sufficient correlation between the observers.

Practice Implications

This study showed promising results for the inter-rater reliability of the CARAT, which can be used to facilitate care for children. The observational tool can be used to assess the use of action–reaction strategies in conjunction with needle procedures in children aged 3–7 years.