Effects of maternal hospitalization in early childhood: anticipated anxiety associated with an analog separation for childbirth and surgery.

Assessed early childhood anticipation of anxiety in response to analog 3-day maternal hospitalization for surgery or childbirth. Reaction to analog nonhospital separation was also assessed. Within each condition, gender effects were examined. Participants were 120 first-grade children at four elementary schools. Between-groups comparisons showed maternal separation for surgery was anticipated as more anxiety provoking, whereas anxiety associated with separation for childbirth and nonhospital separation was anticipated as similar. In general, within each separation situation, girls and boys anticipated similar levels of anxiety.