Multivariate analysis of fears in dental phobic patients according to a reduced FSS-II scale.
This study analyzed and assessed dimensions of a questionnaire developed to measure general fears and phobias. A previous factor analysis among 109 dental phobics had revealed a five-factor structure with 22 items and an explained total variance of 54%. The present study analyzed the same material using a multivariate statistical procedure (LISREL) to reveal structural latent variables. The LISREL analysis, based on the correlation matrix, yielded a chi-square of 216.6 with 195 degrees of freedom (P = 0.138) and showed a model with seven latent variables. One was a general fear factor correlated to all 22 items. The other six factors concerned "Illness & Death" (5 items), "Failures & Embarrassment" (5 items), "Social situations" (5 items), "Physical injuries" (4 items), "Animals & Natural phenomena" (4 items). One item (opposite sex) was included in both "Failures & Embarrassment" and "Social situations". The last factor, "Social interaction", combined all the items in "Failures & Embarrassment" and "Social situations" (9 items). In conclusion, this multivariate statistical analysis (LISREL) revealed and confirmed a factor structure similar to our previous study, but added two important dimensions not shown with a traditional factor analysis. This reduced FSS-II version measures general fears and phobias and may be used on a routine clinical basis as well as in dental phobia research.
Hakeberg
M
M
Department of Endodontology & Oral diagnosis, Faculty of Odontology, Göteborg University, Sweden.
Gustafsson
J E
JE
Berggren
U
U
Carlsson
S G
SG
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008347:Manifest Anxiety Scale / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires