AbstractThe interaction effects of presurgery anxiety and two intervention strategies upon adjustment during dental surgery were examined. Patients undergoing gingivectomy (N= 113) were randomly assigned to one of four information groups: sensation, self‐instruction, combined sensation and self‐instruction, or control; and separated according to level of trait and state anxiety. Results showed an interaction effect between the information conditions and state anxiety (p<.05). Compared with the control group, high state anxiety subjects reported less tension (p<.05) and distress (p<.05) after receiving sensation information; less tension (p<.005) after receiving self‐instruction information; and increased positive self‐statements (p<.05) with the combined information. Low‐state anxiety subjects showed negative treatment effects; sensation information alone (p<.001) or combined with self‐instruction (p<.01) reduced the number of reported positive self