• Z N Kain, L C Mayes, S J Weisman, and M B Hofstadter.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA. kain@biomed.med.yale.edu
• J Clin Anesth. 2000 Nov 1;12(7):549-54.

Study ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between social adaptability, cognitive abilities, and other personality characteristics to perioperative anxiety.Study DesignProspective cohort investigation.Patients60 children ASA physical status I and II, age 3 to 10 years.SettingTertiary care children's hospital.MeasurementsTemperament (EASI), cognitive abilities (KABC), and adaptive behavior (Vineland) were evaluated in a group of children undergoing surgery. 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 child was measured at the preoperative holding area and during induction of anesthesia (m-YPAS).Main ResultsUnivariate correlational analysis demonstrated that young age (r = -0.27), poor social adaptability (Vineland) (r = -0.38), shy and inhibited personality (EASI; temperament) (r = -0.33), higher intelligence (KABC) (r = 0.29), increased parental anxiety (r = 0.44), and parental high-monitoring coping style (r = -0.25) are all associated with higher levels of perioperative anxiety. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis has demonstrated 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 perioperative anxiety (R(2) = 0.38, F = 5.5, p = 0.003).ConclusionsAnesthesiologists need to pay close attention to the families of pediatric surgical children who are socially maladjusted, shy and inhibited, and have anxious parents.

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