title: Stressful situations for toddlers: indications for dental anxiety?
abstract: The present study was undertaken to examine if daily anxiety-provoking situations can predict dental anxiety in a toddler. Parents of 73 toddlers were sent 2 questionnaires: 1) the Dental Subscale of the Children's Fear Survey Schedule (CFSS-DS), and 2) the Inventory of Stressful Situations (ISS), a list of 16 questions developed to assess anxiety in daily stressful situations. This investigation was repeated one year later. Forty-eight parents completed all questionnaires. Results show a clear correlation between daily stressful situations at the age of 3 and dental anxiety at the age of 3 (r = .62, p < 0.01, two-tailed) and at the age of 4 (r = .49, p < 0.01, two-tailed). Regression analyses revealed that the ISS at the age of 3 predicted dental anxiety at the age of four; however, it did not contribute additionally if the CFSS-DS score at the age of three was included.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Daily anxiety-provoking situations in 3-year-old children may be related to dental anxiety at the age of 4.
authors.affiliation: Pedodontology Section, Cariology Department, Academish Centre Tandheelkunde Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam.
authors.forename: Marleen Antoinette
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Klaassen
authors.forename: Jacobus Simon Johannes
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Veerkamp
authors.forename: Irene Helena Adriana
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Aartman
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoogstraten
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology