Behavior modification in the dental sensitive child patient
Date
1978
DOI
Authors
Pretara, Patricia
Version
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
The dental literature is replete with articles both on the mechanical aspects of pedodontics and child management. Yet, many dentists have treated the patient and their teeth as separate entities. It is only within the last twenty years that there has been a major focus on the psychological adaptation of children to dentistry.
Through the cooperation and support of Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Memorial Hospital for Children in Brighton, Massachusetts, plans were developed for a study which was instituted to identify "dental sensitive" children and apply the desensitiza tion technique of behavior modification to eliminate their fears. The children were patients in the hospital from three rehab units, and were between 6 and 12 years. All children had either behavioral, learning or emotional disabilities. Of the sample selected 95% of the children had previously been to the hospital dental clinic.
Each child was exposed to a series of anxiety provoking dental slides and their reactions were recorded according to the Dental Avoidance Test (DAT). The children identified as non-dental sensitive were brought directly to the dental clinic and evaluated according to Frankl's Behavior Rating Scale (FBRS) during the following procedures: x-rays, oral examination, oral prophylaxis and flouride treatment. The dental sensitive group was subdivided into two groups: (1) those exposed to the same dental slides and a taped narration; and (2) those exposed to the same dental slides, taped narration and cartoon slides. They were brought to the dental clinic and evaluated in the same manner as the non-dental sensitive group. Results revealed that a significant difference between the two groups did occur on entry into the operatory.
The results indicated that the cartoon slides did not produce statistical significance and therefore, did not inhibit anxiety. A conclusion can be drawn that the small sample size, and the biased selection process of the "dental sensitive" group who were exposed to cartoon slides contributed to the study's ineffectiveness and lack of statistically significant results. Therefore, the researcher has confidence in the concept and feels that it can be applied in another study.
Description
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Thesis (M.Sc)--Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, 1978 (Dental Public Health).
Includes bibliographical references: (leaves 45-52).
Thesis (M.Sc)--Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, 1978 (Dental Public Health).
Includes bibliographical references: (leaves 45-52).
License
This work is protected by copyright. Downloading is restricted to the BU community. If you are the author of this work and would like to make it publicly available, please contact open-help@bu.edu.