Results: Participants attributed a broad range of
outcomes to the movie-making program. These
included that the programme had helped reduce
anxiety and distress exhibited by paediatric patients
and contributed to a willingness to receive treatment.
Other outcomes were that the completed movies had
been used in school reintegration and for maintaining
social connections.
Conclusions: Allowing children to create a video of
their experience of radiotherapy provided a range of
benefits to paediatric patients that varied according to
their needs. For some patients, movie-making offered a
valuable medium for overcoming fear of the unknown
as well as increasing understanding of treatment
processes. For others, the development of a
personalised video offered an important cognitive/
attentional distraction through engaging with an ageappropriate activity. Together these outcomes helped
children maintain self-control and a positive outlook.