Felder-Puig et al. (2003) selected 400 families and evaluated the effects of using a child orientated book to prepare both parents and children (2–10 years old) for elective ear, nose and throat surgery. The authors hypothesised that having read an information booklet created specifically for the preoperative preparation of parents and children, this population group would be better informed and equipped for surgery, resulting in less anxiety and distress for this group. They provided the intervention group (n = 160) with the information book, and the control group (n = 240) did not receive it. As part of this study, parents completed self reporting questionnaires on the evening before surgery, and again on the evening after surgery. The measurement tools included the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess anxiety of parents, a self-designed feeling's checklist for the child, and a questionnaire to relate demographic data. Children were also observed by their attending nurse who determined if a child was anxious using a five statement tool consisting of yes and no answers. This element of the study is weak as the nurses were not aware of the hypotheses or controls of this study, and how many nurses involved was not specified. The study also examined parents in terms of their level of satisfaction, if they were well informed, if they participated in care giving and if they appeared anxious. Results indicated that mothers in the intervention group experienced less anxiety before surgery. Children in this group were reported as less anxious, less irritable and better tempered. In addition the results indicated that these mothers were significantly better informed about the surgery and hospitalisation.