The use of motion pictures in the psychological preparation of children for induction of anesthesia

Abstract

Prior research on the treatment of phobias and the psychological preparation of children for operations suggested that the stressfulness of anesthesia induction might be ameliorated by a short motion picture showing children behaving calmly during induction. This was tested in a controlled experiment with 38 children undergoing minor elective operations. The anesthetics employed were standard combinations of halothane, nitrous oxide, cyclopropane and oxygen. Children who saw the film shortly before leaving for the operating room were judged to be significantly less upset than the controls while waiting to enter the operating room and while being readied for induction. The differences between the two groups during the induction itself were negligible.