A 360-Degree Examination of the Placement Fit of Medical Clowns

Abstract

Background – Most existing research on medical clowns in health care service has investigated their usefulness among child health consumers. In a 360-degree research stream, we aim to identify the optimal audience (adults or children health consumers), for which medical clowns are most useful in enhancing health consumers’ satisfaction and, in turn, reducing their aggressive tendencies.Methods – We conducted three studies, which examined the placement fit of medical clowns from a different point of view: medical staff (Study 1a, n = 88), medical clowns (Study 1b, n = 20), and health consumers (Study 2, n = 397).Results – Studies 1a and 1b demonstrate that both medical staff and clowns believe that child health consumers profit most from the clowns. In Study 2, data from health consumers in seven different hospital wards showed that clowns are useful in mitigating the effect of negative affectivity on satisfaction, thereby reducing aggressive tendencies among children. Surprisingly, the effect of medical clowns on adults is not only weaker, but reversed, such that interactions with medical clowns decrease adults’ satisfaction and increase their aggressive tendencies.Discussion - The medical clowns are most useful in elevating satisfaction and reducing aggressive tendencies of children. However, older adults show lower satisfaction and higher aggressive tendencies following the performance of the medical clown. The main limitation of the study is investigating aggressive tendencies rather than actual aggression. Future research should examine actual aggression.Conclusion – Medical clowns should be placed in children’s wards. This conclusion can guide health care service policy makers by indicating the optimal placement of clowns, thereby benefitting most from the clowns’ efforts, elevating health consumer satisfaction, and reducing aggressive tendencies.Trial registration – article doesn’t report a health care intervention on human participants.