title: Comparative efficacy of a self-report scale and physiological measures in dental anxiety of children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine and correlate dental anxiety in children, using psychometric and physiological measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  On hundred children (51 boys and 49 girls) were selected and anxiety was assessed using psychometric (Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale) and physiological measures (pulse rate and oxygen saturation levels), for local anesthetic administration. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS software version 11.0. Metric continuous data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. Analysis between groups was carried out by using one way anova. Categorical variables were analyzed with "Fisher's exact test". For statistical significance, the probability value of < 0.05 was considered. The correlation among psychometric and physiological measures was assessed using the Spearman rank correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A very weak negative correlation between pulse rate and MCDAS(f) values was observed. The oxygen saturation level did not show significant variations and was not a reliable indicator of anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both psychometric and physiological measures have their own merits and are important clinically. Even behavioral measures, although having observer bias, can be used as an adjuvant along with these measures. It is essential to take two or more measures into consideration rather than just one to assess dental anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Narayana Dental College and Hospital, Nellore, India.
authors.forename: Swapna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manepalli
authors.forename: Sivakumar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nuvvula
authors.forename: Rekhalakshmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kamatham
authors.forename: Sunkara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nirmala
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000523:psychology; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000523:psychology; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010092:Oximetry / Q000295:instrumentation; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011594:Psychometrics; D057566:Self Report
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: dental anxiety; psychometrics; pulse; self-report