Benefits of Psychological Preparation for Surgery: a Meta-Analysis

T hcre is now substuntial agreement that psychological prepLtruti(tn.for surger)' is henefcial to patients. It is irnportant, hov,(t(r, to establish which beneJtts can be achieved by psychological prepdratton artd rf all .forrns qf preparation are equally elJbctive. T'lre results o.f randomized c:ontrolled trials o,/'psvchological methods o.f preparing, adult patients.for surger), vyere anal,yzed in terms e.l etght outptit.t (negati\'{'a./fect, pain, pain medit:ation, length of .\ta). l)ehdvroral and clinical indit'es of recoverv, ph.vsiological indices, and satrs.fattion). Irt order to reduce publication bias, publishcd as vell as unpuhlished stttdies w'ere included in the ttreta-anal.r.sis. /1 nas conc'luded that signilicant benefts can be obtained on all o.f the nu.jor outt'orne v'ariahles that have been e.xplorecl. Procedural inlormation and behavioral insftuctions .sltov' the rnost ubiquitttu.s eflec:ts in irnproving nleasLtres of postoperalire re(o|err. 'fhe re.sults have implications for the improremeil o.{ patient care in surgical units. (Ann Behav Med 1993. I5(4):245-256)

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