This study identified how adolescents cope with hospitalization for surgery and the congruency between anticipated and actual coping strategies Preoperative emotional state was examined in relation to the type of reported coping strategies Fifty-nine adolescents were interviewed before and after surgery Six coping strategies were identified Although there was no statistically significant relationship between anticipated and actual strategies, the highest proportion of adolescents in the study (23 of 59) both anticipated and reported the use of strategies to regulate the emotional distress aroused by stressful encounters during hospitalization No statistically significant relationship existed between preoperative emotional state and reported coping strategies.