A psychoanalytic intervention of patients undergoing surgery in order to overcome their anxiety

Abstract

The aim of this study is to propose patients a psycho educational intervention before, during and after a stay in a 
hospital to undergo a cataract surgery, in order to meet their doubts and fears. The objective is to find if by lowering 
the anxiety state, the suffering would be reduced and the quality in the rehabilitation process would be fostered 
(Hesbeen, 1996). The design chosen was a RCT (Randomised Control Trial). A group of 160 individuals was assigned 
randomly to one of the 2 conditions: 80 to the experimental/intervention condition following a specific care program 
aiming at lowering anxiety, and 80 to an “attention/routine care” condition. The sample consisted of individuals who 
had a mean age of 72, SD 10.33, ranging from 24 to 95 years old, and 63.1% were females. Anxiety state decreased 
significantly after surgery in both intervention and attention groups but more intensively in the intervention group. A 
regression model explained 80% of the anxiety state score after surgery. The most significant predictor of anxiety 
state score after surgery was “belonging to the intervention/experimental group” (B = 0.712). These results confirm 
the claims that a simple, costless and almost timeless psycho educational procedure can decrease anxiety and 
improve patients’ experience of cataract surgery and recovery.