Indicators of Dental Anxiety in Children Just Prior to Treatment

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: M Majstorovic
• Author: DE Morse
• Author: D Do
• Author: LL Lim
• Author: NG Herman
• Author: AM Moursi
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Dental Medicine
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Dental Medicine

Abstract (english)

Objectives: We evaluated the relationship between child dental anxiety and selected child and parental characteristics. Study design: Children and their parents were interviewed at the New York University, College of Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry Clinic. The Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) evaluated child self-reported anxiety; the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) measured self-reported parental anxiety when the parent received dental treatment. Results: Ninety-three children and their parents completed the questionnaires. Mean CFSS-DS scores were higher for girls than boys (32.5 vs. 26.3, p=0.003) and for children whose accompanying parents had MDAS scores of 11+ vs. ≯11 (32.8 vs. 26.6, p=0.001). There was little difference in mean CFSS-DS scores among those aged 6-10 yrs. vs. 11-14 yrs. (30.1 vs. 29.3). Significant correlations were found between CFSS-DS and both gender (Spearman's rho, rs=0.31) and MDAS scores (rs=0.33), but not between CFSS-DS and child age (rs=-0.05). Controlling simultaneously for gender, MDAS score and child age, a high CFSS-DS score (38+ vs. ≯38) was positively associated with girls (ORadj=3.76, 95% CI: 1.13-12.54) and an MDAS score of ≤15 vs. ≯11 (ORadj=2.50, 0.73-8.54), but weakly and inversely associated with age (ORadj=0.80, 0.25-2.52). Conclusion: Child gender and parental anxiety are indicators of child dental anxiety.

• Keywords (english): CFSS-DS; Children's dental anxiety; Maternal anxiety
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry
• Numbering: vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 12-17
• p-ISSN: 1053-4628
• e-ISSN: 1557-5268
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.17796/jcpd.39.1.u15306x3x465n201
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:127:806278
• Publication: 2014-09-01
• Document URL: https://meridian.allenpress.com/jcpd/article/39/1/12/189319/Indicators-of-Dental-Anxiety-in-Children-Just
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-10-30 10:14:39