Chaney Flashcards
Developmental
Background?
Children with asthma often don’t use inhalers properly, leading to poor health
Poor compliance is often due to boredom or lack of motivation
Behaviourist principles (like positive reinforcement) could improve medical adherence
Aim?
To investigate whether a specially designed “Funhaler” improves medical compliance in young
Procedure?
Baseline data collected using a questionnaire about the child’s current inhaler use
Children then used the Funhaler for 2 weeks
It had a whistle and spinning toy that worked only when used correctly
After 2 weeks, parents completed a follow-up questionnaire
Measured compliance, attitude, and success of use
Sample?
32 Australian children (22 boys, 10 girls)
Aged 1.5 to 6 years
All diagnosed with asthma
Recruited from a random sample of clinics in Perth, Australia
Findings?
Improved compliance with the Funhaler
81% used it the previous day vs 59% with standard inhaler
Children were more willing and less resistant to using the Funhaler
Parents reported greater satisfaction and less stress
Conclusions?
Using operant conditioning (positive reinforcement) like the Funhaler can improve adherence
Medical devices can be made more effective by making them fun and engaging for children
Nurture
Behaviour (medical compliance) improved due to external reinforcement
Suggests behaviour is learned through environment, not innate
Situational
Children’s behaviour changed based on the situation/device used (Funhaler vs. standard inhaler)
Shows external factors can shape behaviour
Reductionist
Focuses on one aspect of behaviour: reinforcement (reward from Funhaler)
Doesn’t consider emotional, cognitive, or social influences
🧪 Psychology as a Science
Used controlled methods (same length of use, standardised questionnaires)
Collected quantitative data – can be replicated and tested
🚻 Ethical Issues
Parental consent gained
Study was non-invasive and beneficial (improved health outcomes)
No deception or harm
