Measures
This scale was taken from Zautra et al (16) and
translated into Hebrew for this study. The scale
includes 11 items, 6 representing positive mood states
(cheerful, satisfied, relaxed, energetic, self-assured,
enthusiastic) and 5 representing negative states
(depressed, anxious, worried, lonely, miserable). The
respondents rated their current moods on 7-point
scales (from 1 “not at all” to 7 “very”). In this study,the Cronbach alphas for the positive and negative
moods scales were 0.86 and 0.77, respectively.
Perceived threat of surgery scale
This 10-point scale assesses thoughts and beliefs that
indicate the extent of perceived threat from the
impending surgery. It was adapted from a previous
masters’ thesis on elective surgery (19). Responses are
given on 5-point scales, ranging from 1 (“not at all”)
to 5 (“very much”). Sample items include the
following: “I worry that I will feel pain during the
operation”; “This operation is more dangerous for me
than for other women”; “Fasting may be harmful for
the fetus.” The Cronbach alpha for the scale was 0.87.
Vital signs
These included autonomic reactivity measures that are
associated with stress and anxiety (20). The vital signs
were monitored by a nurse and included systolic and
diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory
rate.