Psychologic preparation for cardiac catheterization.

Cardiac catheterization is an invasive medical procedure that is anxiety arousing for most patients. Four psychologic preparatory strategies designed to reduce anxiety and enhance adaptation were compared with an attention placebo control intervention. Sixty adult patients scheduled for cardiac catheterization were randomly assigned to one of five groups: sensory-procedural information, modeling, cognitive-behavioral coping skills, modeling plus coping skills, or attention placebo control. Subjects' reactions to cardiac catheterization were assessed by using self-report, behavioral, and physiologic measures. Results indicated that subjects in the modeling and modeling plus coping skills groups were rated as less anxious and better adjusted during the catheterization than control subjects. Compared with controls, subjects in the two modeling groups also reported less subjective anxiety and greater perceived coping ability during the catheterization. All subjects who received a preparatory treatment demonstrated lower levels of autonomic arousal both during and after the test than did control subjects. The results support the efficacy of preparatory strategies that include a patient model.

Psychological preparation for invasive medical and dental procedures.

Psychological preparation for invasive medical and dental procedures has been based on the rationale that high levels of preprocedural fear are detrimental to patients' subsequent adaptation. After a brief survey of the theoretical and empirical evidence pertaining to this rationale, the major psychological approaches designed to alleviate preprocedural concern and enhance recovery are discussed. Outcome studies that have employed informative, psychotherapeutic, modeling, behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, and/or hypnotic techniques are summarized and evaluated. Although the research suggests that each of these approaches can be effective, such serious methodological problems as heterogeneity of sample characteristics, limited range of outcome measures, and lack of manipulation checks prevent definitive conclusions. Legal-ethical concerns and the issue of cost effectiveness are also considered. Suggestions are made for future research and theory development.