This study evaluated the relative effects of three experimental videotapes that involved different approaches for preparing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients for surgery and the inhospital recovery period. One of the tapes conveyed information via a health care expert only. The other two featured the same health care expert and also included clips of interviews with patient models. These latter two tapes differed in the extent to which they portrayed the recovery period as a steady, forward progression or as consisting of "ups and downs". Two hundred fifty-eight male CABG patients were randomly assigned to view one of the three videotapes on the evening prior to surgery or to a control condition. Overall, patients who viewed any of the videotapes felt significantly better prepared for the recovery period, reported higher self-efficacy for using the incentive spirometer and for speeding their recovery, performed more repetitions with their incentive spirometer each time they used it postoperatively, had shorter intensive care unit stays, and were released from the hospital more quickly than patients in the control condition. There was also evidence that patients' self-efficacy beliefs for speeding recovery directly mediated the effects of the videotapes on length of stay both in the intensive care unit and in the hospital.