Social adaptability, cognitive abilities, and other predictors for children's reactions to surgery

Study Objective: To examine the relationship between social adaptability, c ognitive abilities, and other personality characteristics to perioperative anxiety. Study Design: Prospective cohort investigation. Patients: 60 children ASA physical status I and II, age 3 and 10 years. Setting: Tertiary care children's hospital. Measurements: Temperament (EASI), cognitive abilities (KABC), and adaptive behavior (Vineland) were evaluated in a group of children undergoing surger y. Parental coping style (MBBS) and parental state (STAI-S) and trait (STAI -T) anxiety were assessed as well. On the day of surgery, anxiety of the ch ild was measured at the preoperative holding area and during induction of a nesthesia (m-YPAS). Main Results: Univariate correlational analysis demonstrated that young age (r = -0.27), poor social adaptability (Vineland) (r = -0.38), shy and inhi bited personality (EASI; temperament) (r = -0.33), higher intelligence (KAB C) (r = 0.29), increased parental anxiety (r = 0.44), and parental high-mon itoring coping style (r = -0.25) are all associated with higher levels of p erioperative anxiety. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis has demonst rated that controlling for the variables above, parental anxiety (p = 0.004 ), child's social adaptive capabilities (p = 0.04), and child's temperament (sociability) (p = 0. 04) are independent predictors for increased periope rative anxiety (R-2 = 0.38, F= 5.5 p = 0.003). Conclusions: Anesthesiologists need to pay close attention to the families of pediatric surgical children who are socially maladjusted, shy and inhibi ted, and have anxious parents. (C) 2000 by Elsevier Science Inc.