The Effect of Using a Stress Ball During Endoscopy on Pain, Anxiety, and Satisfaction A Randomized Controlled Trial

A stress ball is a simple and effective distraction method during painful procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of using a stress ball during endoscopy on patients' pain, anxiety, and satisfaction levels. The randomized controlled study included 60 patients who underwent endoscopy in a training and research hospital in Istanbul. Patients were randomly assigned to the stress ball group or the control group. Patients in the stress ball group (n = 30) squeezed a stress ball during endoscopy, whereas the control group (n = 30) received no intervention during endoscopy. Data were collected using a sociodemographic form, a postendoscopy questionnaire, the Visual Analog Scale to assess pain and satisfaction, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Pain scores did not differ significantly between the groups before (p = .925) or during (p = .149) the endoscopy procedure but were significantly lower in the stress ball group after the procedure (p = .008). Similarly, preprocedure anxiety scores were comparable (p = .743), whereas postprocedure anxiety scores were significantly lower in the stress ball group (p < .001). The satisfaction score after endoscopy was higher in the stress ball group, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = .166). This study suggests that use of a stress ball during endoscopy reduces patients' pain and anxiety levels.