title: Self-assessed oral health, cognitive vulnerability and dental anxiety in children: testing a mediational model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explain the association between children's self-perceived oral health status and dental anxiety, by considering their levels of cognitive vulnerability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 161 children (47.8% female; mean age = 11.93 years) who filled in a questionnaire comprising self-assessed oral health-related status, dental treatment-related cognitive vulnerability and dental anxiety measures. Gender, age and number of decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth were controlled for. Bivariate correlations, hierarchical regression analyses and structural equation modelling were conducted to test the hypotheses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjective oral health status, cognitive vulnerability variables and dental anxiety were strongly correlated. Regression and structural models testing the mediating effects of cognitive vulnerability variables on the relationship between perceived oral health and dental anxiety were supported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The activation of the cognitive vulnerability schema, as a mediating variable, is a mechanism by means of which children's self-perceptions of a poor oral health might lead to dental anxiety. Both components of vulnerability analysed (threat and disgust) contribute decisively to this potential process.
authors: Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain. maria.carrillo@urjc.es
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Carrillo-Díaz
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Crego
authors: Jason M
authors: JM
authors: Armfield
authors: Martín
authors: M
authors: Romero
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires