A hierarchical comparative analysis was performed which contrasted three additive components of presurgical preparation for children. The influence of the most commonly used preparation technique in the United States-a narrative hospital tour- was compared with the additional influence of a puppet modeling + tour procedure and a coping skills + modeling + tour procedure. Parents, nurses, and blind observers found children in the modeling + tour and the coping skills + modeling + tour procedure to have lower ratings of distress and fewer maladaptive behaviors before and after surgery in comparison to the tour-only prepared children. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of demonstrating cost-effective preparation for the continuation of presurgical preparation programs and the role comparative research may play in this demonstration.
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Peterson et al. (1984) studied this question.