Anxiété, foyer de contrôle et les effets d'un enseignement sur l'état physique et émotionnel des opérés

Abstract

An experimental study with random distribution was designed to determine, first, the effects of pre-surgical group instructions on pre-and post-operative situational anxiety, ventilatory function, length of hospitalization, and quantity of analgesic administered; secondly, an evaluation was made of interaction effects between experimental treatment and personality anxiety and locus of control on the same dependent variables. The treatment program was applied two weeks before surgery and consisted of a question and information period and demonstration of breathing exercises as well as a visit to the patient the day before the operation. A sample of patients electing cholecystecomy and hysterectomy was used. The tests employed Spielberger's State and Trait Anxiety Inventory, Rotter's Internal versus External Control scale, and the Stead-Wells spirometer. There were no significant differences between experimental and control groups except for subjects who underwent hysterectomy; with personality anxiety controlled, experimental subjects showed less situational anxiety than controls the day before surgery (p less than .06). No interaction effect was found. However, personality anxiety is known to be an important variable to control. The failure to find differences was attributed mainly to the fact that the program was evaluated two years after its application. The results were interpreted in terms of theories proposed by Janis and Leventhal.