A Physiological Measure of Preoperative Anxiety

A 2cc/min infusion of 2.5% thiopental sodium was administered to 10 female patients on the afternoon preceding, and again immediately before, operation. The dosages required to cause stabilization of the spontaneous skin conductance responses were found to correlate significantly both with IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire scores and with the points of disappearance of the eyelid reflexes. Results showed the test-retest reliability to be significantly high, and it is concluded that this skin conductance anxiety test (SCAT) has unique value in providing a reliable, valid, and precisely quantitative index of patient anxiety in both general and psychiatric hospital situations.