Effects of auditory and audiovisual presentations on anxiety and behavioral changes in children undergoing elective surgery

Abstract

Background: Preoperative anxiety is a critical issue in children, and associated with postoperative behavioral changes.

Aims: The purpose of the current study is to evaluate how audiovisual and auditory presentations about the perioperative period impact preoperative anxiety and postoperative behavioral disturbances of children undergoing elective ambulatory surgery.

Materials and Methods: A total of 99 patients between the ages of 5–12, scheduled to undergo outpatient surgery, participated in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups; audiovisual group (Group V, n = 33), auditory group (Group A, n = 33), and control group (Group C, n = 33). During the evaluation, the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (M‑YPAS) and the posthospitalization behavioral questionnaire (PHBQ) were used.

Results: There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between the groups. M‑YPAS scores were significantly lower in Group V than in Groups C and A (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). PHBQ scores in Group C were statistically higher than in Groups A and V, but, no statistical difference was found between Groups A and V.

Conclusion: Compared to auditory presentations, audiovisual presentations, in terms of being memorable and interesting, may be more effective in reducing children’s anxiety. In addition, we can suggest that both methods can be equally effective for postoperative behavioral changes.

Keywords: Anxiety, audiovisual aids, behavioral rating scale, child behavior