Effects of parental presence during induction of anesthesia in children undergoing surgery on anxiety of parents

The presence of a child’s parents during the induction of anesthesia has always been a controversial issue. While early studies found that parental presence could reduce parents'' anxiety and increase cooperation of them. This study aimed to evaluate parental presence during children induction of anesthesia on a parent''s anxiety. This is randomized controlled trial research. 60 parent of Children 2 to 11 years undergoing surgery were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Parents were present in the intervention group. Anxiety Inventory for parents Spilberger in two stages were examined، and finally SPSS/18 software and the chi- Square test، Fisher exact test، t test and t pair we were used for data analysis. The preoperative parental anxiety average scores between the two groups were not statistically significant difference. Parental postoperative anxiety average scores between the two groups had significant differences (p = 0. 035). As well there were no significant difference between parental anxiety levels and sample demographic characteristics of the two groups before and after surgery. Result showed that parental presence during induction of anesthesia to the child had no additive effects for reducing the parent''s anxiety; however، effective interventions to preparing and reducing of anxiety of childrens'' parents undergoing surgery should be done.