The relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety: a naturalistic, cross-sectional and comparative study
Abstract Background Dental anxiety is of public health importance because it leads to postponed dental treatment, which comes with health complications. The present study investigated whether there is a correlation between the degree of dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety and whether there are...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00684-6 |
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| author | Juan Valdes-Stauber Kevin Hummel |
| author_facet | Juan Valdes-Stauber Kevin Hummel |
| author_sort | Juan Valdes-Stauber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Dental anxiety is of public health importance because it leads to postponed dental treatment, which comes with health complications. The present study investigated whether there is a correlation between the degree of dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety and whether there are prognostic factors for the different kinds of anxiety. Method In the sample (N = 156) from a dental practice in a large German city, 62% of patients received a check-examination and 38% received dental surgery. The target variables were recorded with validated questionnaires: dental anxiety (IDAF-4c+), subclinical anxiety (SubA), anxiety of negative evaluation (SANB-5), current general anxiety (STAI state), loneliness (LS-S) and self-efficacy (GSW-6). The applied statistics were: t-tests for 31 variables, correlation matrix and multivariate and bivariate regression analyses. Results The dental surgery patients displayed more dental anxiety and more dental interventions than the check-examination group. The main result was a positive correlation of all kinds of anxiety with each other, a positive correlation of loneliness and neuroticism with all forms of anxiety and a negative correlation between all forms of anxiety and self-efficacy. Especially dental anxiety is positively associated with other kinds of anxiety. In multivariate regression models only neuroticism is associated with dental anxiety, but feelings of loneliness are positively associated with with the other kinds of anxiety assessed in this study. The higher the self-efficacy, the lower the level of general anxiety. Conclusions In dentistry, anxiety from negative experiences with buccal interventions should be distinguished from anxiety caused by personality traits. Self-efficacy tends to protect against anxiety, while loneliness and neuroticism are direct or indirect risk factors for anxiety in this urban dentistry sample. Dental anxiety seems to be independent from biographical strains but not from neuroticism. In practice, more attention must be paid to anxiety control, self-management and efforts to improve the confidence of patients with emotional lability, less self-confidence and propensity to shame. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:20:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b67f1896a7784a91bc19ef2e18adbded |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:20:58Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b67f1896a7784a91bc19ef2e18adbded2022-12-21T19:27:35ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832021-11-019111010.1186/s40359-021-00684-6The relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety: a naturalistic, cross-sectional and comparative studyJuan Valdes-Stauber0Kevin Hummel1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy I, University of UlmDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy I, University of UlmAbstract Background Dental anxiety is of public health importance because it leads to postponed dental treatment, which comes with health complications. The present study investigated whether there is a correlation between the degree of dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety and whether there are prognostic factors for the different kinds of anxiety. Method In the sample (N = 156) from a dental practice in a large German city, 62% of patients received a check-examination and 38% received dental surgery. The target variables were recorded with validated questionnaires: dental anxiety (IDAF-4c+), subclinical anxiety (SubA), anxiety of negative evaluation (SANB-5), current general anxiety (STAI state), loneliness (LS-S) and self-efficacy (GSW-6). The applied statistics were: t-tests for 31 variables, correlation matrix and multivariate and bivariate regression analyses. Results The dental surgery patients displayed more dental anxiety and more dental interventions than the check-examination group. The main result was a positive correlation of all kinds of anxiety with each other, a positive correlation of loneliness and neuroticism with all forms of anxiety and a negative correlation between all forms of anxiety and self-efficacy. Especially dental anxiety is positively associated with other kinds of anxiety. In multivariate regression models only neuroticism is associated with dental anxiety, but feelings of loneliness are positively associated with with the other kinds of anxiety assessed in this study. The higher the self-efficacy, the lower the level of general anxiety. Conclusions In dentistry, anxiety from negative experiences with buccal interventions should be distinguished from anxiety caused by personality traits. Self-efficacy tends to protect against anxiety, while loneliness and neuroticism are direct or indirect risk factors for anxiety in this urban dentistry sample. Dental anxiety seems to be independent from biographical strains but not from neuroticism. In practice, more attention must be paid to anxiety control, self-management and efforts to improve the confidence of patients with emotional lability, less self-confidence and propensity to shame.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00684-6Dental anxietyOdontophobiaSelf-efficacyLonelinessNeuroticism |
| spellingShingle | Juan Valdes-Stauber Kevin Hummel The relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety: a naturalistic, cross-sectional and comparative study BMC Psychology Dental anxiety Odontophobia Self-efficacy Loneliness Neuroticism |
| title | The relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety: a naturalistic, cross-sectional and comparative study |
| title_full | The relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety: a naturalistic, cross-sectional and comparative study |
| title_fullStr | The relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety: a naturalistic, cross-sectional and comparative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety: a naturalistic, cross-sectional and comparative study |
| title_short | The relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety: a naturalistic, cross-sectional and comparative study |
| title_sort | relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety a naturalistic cross sectional and comparative study |
| topic | Dental anxiety Odontophobia Self-efficacy Loneliness Neuroticism |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00684-6 |
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