Effects of surgery type and attention focus on children's coping

Citation
Ll. Lamontagne et al., Effects of surgery type and attention focus on children's coping, NURS RES, 49(5), 2000, pp. 245-252
Citations number
33
Categorie Soggetti
Public Health & Health Care Science
Journal title
NURSING RESEARCH
ISSN journal
00296562 → ACNP
Volume
49
Issue
5
Year of publication
2000
Pages
245 - 252
Database
ISI
SICI code
0029-6562(200009/10)49:5<245:EOSTAA>2.0.ZU;2-E
Abstract
Background: How children cope with minor or major surgery is influenced by their attention focus appraisals. Although factors that predict children's coping with surgery have been identified (i.e., age, locus of control, pare nt-doctor information, worry), it still is not known whether the type of su rgery per se affects the coping strategies used and influences previously e stablished predictors of coping. Furthermore, questions remain concerning t he relation among type of surgery, attention focus, and coping. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the type of surgery (minor vs. major) would have a differential effect on coping, and w hether coping can be predicted better if it is known what type of attention focus (appraisal) the child has. Methods: Data from three studies of children (n = 189) undergoing minor or major surgery were combined to examine the effects that type of surgery and attention have on coping. Measures included the Preoperative Mode of Copin g Interview, Locus of Control Scale for Children, Parent-Doctor Information Interview, and a measure for worry. Results: The results showed that the factors previously found to predict co ping were upheld in the combined sample and accounted for 50% of the varian ce in coping. Type of surgery was significantly associated with coping: Chi ldren undergoing minor surgery were somewhat more vigilant than children un dergoing major surgery. The inclusion of attention in the analysis signific antly improved the variance explained in coping (66%), and children who had a concrete-objective focus of attention were found to be more vigilant. Si gnificant interactions were found between attention focus and type of surge ry, locus of control, and age. Type of surgery also had a significant inter action with worry. Children who focused on the concrete-objective aspects o f the situation were more vigilant if they were having minor rather than ma jor surgery. Also, children who had an internal locus of control and a conc rete-objective focus of attention were more vigilant in coping. Regardless of age, children who had a concrete-objective focus of attention were more vigilant. Furthermore, at low levels of worry, children undergoing major su rgery were more vigilant than children undergoing minor surgery. Conclusions: Coping with surgery is influenced by multiple factors. Childre n's ability to focus attention on the concrete-objective aspects of surgery may help to reduce feelings of threat that could impede their use of vigil ant coping.