A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

A longitudinal study of changes and associations in dental fear in parent/adolescent dyads




AuthorsLuoto A, Tolvanen M, Pohjola V, Rantavuori K, Karlsson L, Lahti S

PublisherWILEY

Publication year2017

JournalInternational Journal of Paediatric Dentistry

Journal name in sourceINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

Journal acronymINT J PAEDIATR DENT

Volume27

Issue6

First page 506

Last page513

Number of pages8

ISSN0960-7439

eISSN1365-263X

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.12289


Abstract
BackgroundDental fear seems to fluctuate, but concordance of changes in dental fears between parent/adolescent dyads has not been reported.AimTo study longitudinally the associations between adolescent and parental dental fears and their changes.DesignAdolescents and parents reported their dental fear independently of each other when adolescents were between 11-12 and 15-16-year-olds. Eight hundred and seventeen eligible parent/adolescent dyads were included in the analyses. Dental fear was measured with a single question using five response alternatives. Associations between adolescent and parental dental fears and their changes were analysed using (2) tests and correlation coefficients.ResultsPrevalence of dental fear remained rather similar during the study. There was a positive association between adolescent and parental dental fears in early adolescence (P < 0.001) but at middle adolescence only among parent/girl dyads (P = 0.007 for girls, P = 0.341 for boys). Changes in dental fear among parent/adolescent dyads did not correlate statistically significantly. Difference between girls' and boys' change in dental fear was statistically significant (P = 0.001). Dental fear increased more often among girls than among boys. Boys had stable low/no dental fear more often than girls did.ConclusionAdolescents' and parents' dental fears seemingly change independently of each other.



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