title: Self-Esteem and Oral Condition of Institutionalized Abused Children in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Abused children have been reported to have low self-esteem. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dental intervention on self-esteem, oral condition, and concern for oral health in abused children admitted to a child protection service facility.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the oral condition of 65 children (34 boys, 31 girls; aged 2-15 years), instructed them in tooth-brushing. Self-esteem was examined using Pope's five-scale test for children. Before discharge, the children completed questionnaires on concern about their oral health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings revealed the reasons for admission were child abuse and neglect (n=45), domestic violence against the mother (n= 20), special needs (n=11), delinquency (n=7), school refusal (n=2), and other reasons (n=3). Thirty-five of the 65 residents (54%) needed treatment for caries. Of these, 24 (69%) were abused children and 11 (31%) were admitted due to other reasons. Mean self-esteem score differed significantly between the resident children (n=43) and an outpatient control group (n=102) (59.16±14.54 vs 73.92±16.81, respectively; p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the abused children had low self-esteem, after dental intervention, positive answers regarding oral health were obtained. The findings suggest that dental interventions might be effective for helping to improve the self-esteem of abused children.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sano-Asahito
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mitomi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kinoshita-Kawano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayashi-Sakai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asahito
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000299:Adolescent, Institutionalized / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D002674:Child, Institutionalized / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D017579:Domestic Violence; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009909:Oral Health / Q000193:education; D012649:Self Concept; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000523:psychology
keywords: child abuse; dental intervention; oral health; self-esteem