title: Confirming the factor structure of modified CFSS-DS in Finnish children at different ages.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims were to determine whether means of different fear-related items were similar in 1998 and 2001 and to find a common factor structure of the modified CFSS-DS for children at different ages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Independent random samples of 6-, 9-, 12- and 15-year olds were drawn in two cities in 1998 and 2001 (n = 180 per age group from each city). The study group in 2001 comprised 282, 265, 281 and 234 subjects aged 6, 9, 12 and 15 years, respectively. Each child received a modified CFSS-DS form to be filled out at home. Mean scores of different fear-related items were reported for each age group for both data sets. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed to test whether the three factor structures revealed for 6-, 9- and 12-15-year olds in 1998 fitted the 2001 data. Multiple group CFA was used to test for the equivalence of the factorial structure across age groups (configural invariance).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-specific patterns of the means for individual fear-related items in 2001 corresponded to the mean values for 1998. When age-specific factor structures were tested separately for each age group, the factor structure for 9-year-olds was, in general, the best-fitting overall structure. The factor structure had a good fit for all age groups, but the loadings differed at different ages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The modified CFSS-DS provides consistent factor structures for children at different ages and reflects the changes in manifestations of dental fear during growth.
authors: Department of Orthodontics, Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Finland. kari.rantavuori@oulu.fi
authors: Kari
authors: K
authors: Rantavuori
authors: Mimmi
authors: M
authors: Tolvanen
authors: Satu
authors: S
authors: Lahti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000523:psychology; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000523:psychology; D003762:Dental Instruments; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000523:psychology; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D013396:Suction / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*