Date of Award

1988

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education (MAE)

Department

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if open heart surgery patients and their spouses who receive additional preoperative teaching information exhibit less anxiety than those who receive the information without additional instruction. The sample consisted of 40 male open heart surgery candidates and their wives. Each couple was randomly assigned to one of two groups upon admission. Subjects in one group received the standard method of preoperative teaching by viewing a slide tape presentation. Subjects in the second group were required to view a picture book as well as the slide presentation. Data was collected immediately preceding the treatment and four days following surgery using, Spielberger's (1983) State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). To analyze the data the t-test was used to test for significant differences between the treatment and control groups. The results supported the first hypothesis indicating that the provision of the additional instructional information helped lessen the patient's anxiety. However, the results did not support the second hypothesis, indicating that the reinforcement treatment did not significantly lower the spouses anxiety.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.