Drawing as a Measurement of Dental Anxiety

Trakya University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Dental Anxiety

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04308005

SONUR

Details and patient eligibility

About

In the present study, we aimed to assess children's anxiety levels by using different dental anxiety scales and children's drawings evaluated according to two different scoring systems: Child Drawing: Hospital (CD: H) and Emotional indicators of Human Figure Drawings (HFD).

Full description

Background: Drawings can be used as a method of communication that represents an individual's self-concept, anxiety, attitude, or conflict.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate children's drawing as a measure of dental anxiety in a dental setting.

Design: Seventy- eight children, aged 6-12 years, were enrolled in this study. Pulp therapy and/or restorative treatment was performed during the first therapeutic session for all participants. Sound, Eye, and Motor (SEM) and Frankl scales were used as an objective assessment of dental anxiety during treatment. After the treatment session, the children were instructed to draw a picture of a person at a dental clinic. Children's drawings were scored by a paediatric dentist and a psychologist using Child Drawing: Hospital (CD: H) scale and emotional indicators of Human Figure Drawings (HFD). The findings were compared with Frankl and SEM scores.

Enrollment: 78 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 6 to 12 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 6-12 years of age-independent of sex, and ethnic characteristics
• Children without previous dental treatment experience.
• Children with carious primary teeth which required pulp therapy and restorative treatment
• Children who are not considered medically compromised
• Obtained written informed consent from parents or caregivers and obtained verbal informed consent from the child for their participance in the study where procedures are explained in an age-appropriate attitude
• Children who accept to draw a picture

Exclusion criteria

• Children with a compromised physical and mental health history
• Children who already received dental treatments
• Children who only needed preventive treatments
• Children who reject to draw a picture