Preparation for elective surgery: does it make a difference

This study postulated that children prepared for elective surgery would show less stress in physiological terms while in the hospital and fewer postdischarge behavior changes than children in a control group not being systematically prepared for pending surgery. It was also postulated that younger children would be more anxious than older children. Actual findings supported only a few of the original hypotheses, but the study itself raises major questions for those interested in the overall impact of hospitalization and the reduction of psychological trauma for children who may be particularly vulnerable to stress.