Assessing children's emotional responses to surgery: a multidimensional approach

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Surgical Care
• Anxiety Research

Background:

• Psychological upset in children is multidimensional, encompassing behavioral, subjective, and physiological aspects.
• Previous research often examined only one or two components of psychological upset.
• The interrelationships among these components remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the connections between physiological stress indicators (heart rate, blood pressure), anxiety levels, and observed emotional behaviors in children undergoing surgery.
• To understand the multidimensional nature of children's emotional responses to surgical procedures.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 106 Chinese children undergoing day surgery.
• Data collection included the State Anxiety Scale for Children, physiological measurements (heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure), and behavioral observations (Children's Emotional Manifestation Scale).
• Measurements were taken in the operating theatre before anesthesia induction.

Main Results:

• Higher preoperative anxiety correlated with more negative emotional behavior during anesthesia induction.
• Increased negative emotional behavior and state anxiety were associated with elevated heart rates and mean arterial blood pressure.
• Physiological, subjective, and behavioral responses to surgery are interconnected in children.

Conclusions:

• Children's responses to surgery are complex and multifaceted.
• Understanding the multidimensional nature of emotional responses is crucial for comprehensive assessment.
• Assessment strategies should integrate physiological, subjective, and behavioral measures to capture the full spectrum of a child's reaction to surgery.