The effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: A single-blind randomised controlled trial

Aims: To evaluate the effect of a structured preoperative preparation on child and parent state anxiety, child behavioural change and parent satisfaction. Background: It is estimated that around 50–70% of hospitalised children experience severe anxiety and distress prior to surgery. Children who are...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fincher, W., Shaw, J., Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2012
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42751
_version_ 1848756505281560576
author Fincher, W.
Shaw, J.
Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie
author_facet Fincher, W.
Shaw, J.
Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie
author_sort Fincher, W.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Aims: To evaluate the effect of a structured preoperative preparation on child and parent state anxiety, child behavioural change and parent satisfaction. Background: It is estimated that around 50–70% of hospitalised children experience severe anxiety and distress prior to surgery. Children who are highly anxious and distressed preoperatively are likely to be distressed on awakening and have negative postoperative behaviour. Although education before surgery has been found to be useful mostly in North America, the effectiveness of preoperative preparation programme adapted to the Australian context remains to be tested. Design: This single-blind randomised controlled study was conducted at a tertiary referral hospital for children in Western Australia. Methods: Following ethics approval and parental consent, 73 children and one of their carers (usually a parent) were randomly assigned into two groups. The control group had standard practice with no specific preoperative education and the experimental group received a preoperative preparation, including a photo file, demonstration of equipment using a role-modelling approach and a tour. Results: The preoperative preparation reduced parent state anxiety significantly (−2·32, CI −4·06 to −0·56, p = 0·009), but not child anxiety (−0·59, CI −1·23 to 0·06, p = 0·07). There was no significant difference in child postoperative behaviour or parent satisfaction between the groups. There was a significant two-point pain score reduction in the preoperative preparation group, when compared with the control group median 2 (IQR 5) and 4 (IQR 4), respectively (p = 0·001). Conclusions: Preoperative preparation was more efficient on parent than child. Although the preoperative preparation had limited effect on child anxiety, it permitted to decrease pain experience in the postoperative period.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T09:13:16Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-42751
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T09:13:16Z
publishDate 2012
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-427512017-09-13T14:30:07Z The effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: A single-blind randomised controlled trial Fincher, W. Shaw, J. Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie Aims: To evaluate the effect of a structured preoperative preparation on child and parent state anxiety, child behavioural change and parent satisfaction. Background: It is estimated that around 50–70% of hospitalised children experience severe anxiety and distress prior to surgery. Children who are highly anxious and distressed preoperatively are likely to be distressed on awakening and have negative postoperative behaviour. Although education before surgery has been found to be useful mostly in North America, the effectiveness of preoperative preparation programme adapted to the Australian context remains to be tested. Design: This single-blind randomised controlled study was conducted at a tertiary referral hospital for children in Western Australia. Methods: Following ethics approval and parental consent, 73 children and one of their carers (usually a parent) were randomly assigned into two groups. The control group had standard practice with no specific preoperative education and the experimental group received a preoperative preparation, including a photo file, demonstration of equipment using a role-modelling approach and a tour. Results: The preoperative preparation reduced parent state anxiety significantly (−2·32, CI −4·06 to −0·56, p = 0·009), but not child anxiety (−0·59, CI −1·23 to 0·06, p = 0·07). There was no significant difference in child postoperative behaviour or parent satisfaction between the groups. There was a significant two-point pain score reduction in the preoperative preparation group, when compared with the control group median 2 (IQR 5) and 4 (IQR 4), respectively (p = 0·001). Conclusions: Preoperative preparation was more efficient on parent than child. Although the preoperative preparation had limited effect on child anxiety, it permitted to decrease pain experience in the postoperative period. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42751 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03973.x restricted
spellingShingle Fincher, W.
Shaw, J.
Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie
The effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: A single-blind randomised controlled trial
title The effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: A single-blind randomised controlled trial
title_full The effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: A single-blind randomised controlled trial
title_fullStr The effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: A single-blind randomised controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed The effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: A single-blind randomised controlled trial
title_short The effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: A single-blind randomised controlled trial
title_sort effectiveness of a standardised preoperative preparation in reducing child and parent anxiety: a single-blind randomised controlled trial
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42751