The Relationship Between Anxiety Levels of Adolescents Who Undergo Surgical Interventions and Their Parents and Analysis of Anxiety Causes

Abstract

Objective: Anxiety does not only affect the individuals who undergo surgery but also their family members and relatives. This study aimed to evaluate anxiety levels of the adolescents who were to undergo surgical interventions and their parents, relationship between anxiety levels and causes of anxiety. Material and Methods: Adolescents who were hospitalized in Pediatric Surgery, Orthopedics and Traumatology and General Surgery Departments of a university hospital between December 2006 and July 2007 who were planned to undergo surgical interventions and their parents constituted the study group of this cross sectional study. The study sample consisted of 100 adolescents and their parents. Data were collected using Adolescent and Parent Information Form, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for children. Results: Fifty five percent of the adolescents were males, their mean age was 13.82 +/- 2.66 years and mean education duration was 7.72 +/- 2.87 years while mean age of the parents was 40.99 +/- 6.32 years. State anxiety scores was found as 37.38 +/- 8.00 in 10-13 age group, 45.62 +/- 9.12 in adolescents 14 years and older and 52.10 +/- 9.17 in parents. Although a relationship was not found between state anxiety scores of adolescents in 10-13 age group and their parents, there was a positive correlation between continuous anxiety scores, there no relationship between state and continuous anxiety scores of adolescents above 14 years and their parents. Conclusion: Adolescents who were planned to undergo surgery and their parents experience anxiety and some individual factors affect their anxiety. It can be recommended that the nurses should provide the necessary guidance and counseling services to decrease the anxiety of adolescents and their parents in preoperative period, and training and support groups should be planned where the parents can share their feelings and thoughts.