title: Personality and psychological factors: effects on dental beliefs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental treatment can be highly unpleasant for anxious patients. Despite all advancements, dental anxiety continues to upset the dentist-patient relationship. The psychological factors like individual personality and familial and peer influence may alter the dental beliefs of a patient.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among young adolescents to investigate the relationship among various psychological factors and the dental beliefs of an individual.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among higher secondary school children, aged 15-17 years in Udupi district. The dental anxiety of the participants was measured using Modified Dental Beliefs scale and the personality traits were assessed using the Ten-Item Personality Inventory. Pearson's correlation and chi-square analysis were performed among these scales. Independent t-test was performed to compare dental anxiety scores with different socio-demographic and psychological characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all 198 students, with a mean age of 16.6 years, completed the questionnaire. A majority of the participants had lower MDBS scores. The personality traits like Emotional Stability and Openness to New Experiences showed a negative correlation with the Dental Belief scores. Apart from these, the experience at first dental visit and peer support also affected the dental beliefs of the adolescents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Various psychological traits of adolescents influence their dental anxiety.
authors: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Rungta College of Dental Sciences and Research, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, India.
authors: Siddhi
authors: S
authors: Hathiwala
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Acharya
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Patil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires