A total of 305 patients between the ages of 25 and 70 scheduled for elective surgery at a major local hospital were evaluated two weeks prior to surgery on the day prior to surgery, and one week, six months, and two and a half years postsurgery. Primary support persons were evaluated three times--at intake, six months postsurgery, and two and a half years postsurgery. Medical information was obtained that permitted examination of the influences of psychosocial variables on recovery. Major personality variables under investigation were optimism, Type A, hostility, gender, repressive style, and to a lesser extent, anxiety, and neuroticism. Major environmental variables included quality and quantity of social support and availability of a primary support person. Main outcome variables for patients included satisfaction with different life domains, depression, return to work, normalization of life style, and new and recurrent morbidity. Main outcome variables for the support person included perceptions of burden, depression, and life satisfaction.