Dental fear and anxiety in older children: an association with parental dental anxiety and effective pain coping strategies

• DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s67692
• Publication Date: 2014-08-21T02:19:28Z
• Authors: Livia Puljak; Anka Coric; Adriana Banozic; Miro Klaric; Katarina Vukojevic
• Keywords: Dental fear

An association between dental fear and anxiety (DFA) has been confirmed for children younger than 8 years, but this in older is less clear. The aim of study was to fill knowledge gap by studying DFA their parents with validated measures. This cross-sectional study, conducted at Community Health Centre Mostar, Bosnia Herzegovina, included 114 parents. DFA, coping, sociodemographic variables were studied using Corah Dental Anxiety Questionnaire (CDAS), Subscale the Children's Fear Survey Schedule (CFSS-DS), Cope Questionnaire, questionnaire. Maternal CDAS scores had significant positive correlation child measured CFSS-DS (r=0.35, P<0.001) (r=0.32, P<0.001). Fathers' not associated CFSS-DS, showed a moderate (r=0.19, P<0.05). There no differences children's based on age, sex, or socioeconomic variables. Children used internal coping strategies most frequently external rated as effective. We did find number type effective high compared low DFA. In conclusion, there evidence coexistence children. These findings may help devise interventions that will prevent alleviate