Different aspects of anxiety as predictors of post-operative anxiety and physical complaints

doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(96)00138-9

Personality and Individual Differences

Volume 21, Issue 6, December 1996, Pages 929-936

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(96)00138-9 Get rights and content

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that pre-operative anxiety consists of different aspects each with its own specific influence on post-operative state. This study investigated the influence of different aspects of transient anxiety i.e. state anxiety, specific anxiety, tension, observed anxiety and the amount of thinking about surgery, on post-operative anxiety and physical complaints in 126 patients undergoing lumbar surgery. Results showed that pre-operative state anxiety, specific anxiety, tension and observed anxiety each contributed uniquely to the prediction of post-operative anxiety after control for age, sex and medical variables. Tension showed a negative contribution, indicating that, when the effects of other anxiety aspects were removed, patients with high tension showed less post-operative anxiety than patients with low tension. The three other anxiety variables showed a positive contribution. Regarding postoperative physical complaints, only specific anxiety showed a positive significant contribution to the prediction. Results will be discussed in relation to the adaptation to surgery and to Janis' theory that experiencing moderate levels of anxiety is beneficial for recovery.

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Citation Excerpt :
The articles were excluded because of uncertainty as to whether the sample was representative of patients in the population as a whole, lack of clarity as to whether all questionnaires were validated, and lack of a description of or inclusion in the analysis of the outcomes of participants who withdrew. Three articles also based on the same study [19,31,32] were excluded because the instruments used lacked validation, the use of instruments varied, and missing data were not consistently dealt with. The remaining seven articles [24,33–38] were excluded for a number of different reasons: it was not clear whether the sample was representative of the population, or whether it was based on a random sample, whether the outcomes of participants who withdrew were not described or included in the analysis, and in five of these studies it was questionable whether appropriate statistical analyses had been used.
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An integrative literature review was carried out.
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Preoperative anxiety serves a critical role in the chain of events that control the postoperative pain response [1,2]. Numerous studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between anxiety and pain, with less anxious patients experienced less postoperative pain [3]. Young female patients and patients with no previous anesthetic experience had higher anxiety scores [4].
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Oral melatonin 6 mg or pregabalin 150 mg administered 1 h before operation had reduced perioperative anxiety and postoperative pain in patients undergoing gynecological surgeries, without untoward sedative effects in the pregabalin group compared to melatonin group.
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Different aspects of anxiety as predictors of post-operative anxiety and physical complaints

Abstract

Pain

Personality and Individual Differences

Personality and Individual Differences

Clinical Psychology Review

International Journal of Nursing Studies

Pain

Pain

Preoperative anxiety: detection and contributing factors

Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia

Psychologische aspecten van het ondergaan van een operatie

Agreement for surgical patients on two situations for the trait anxiety inventory

Psychological Reports

Applied multiple regression/ correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences

Active coping processes, coping dispositions and recovery from surgery

Psychosomatic Medicine

The effects of psychological factors and physical trauma on recovery from oral surgery

Journal of Behavioral Medicine

Psychological stress

Contribution of emotional and instrumental response processes in adaptation to surgery

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology