Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The aims of the study were to assess the validity of a clinical dental fear question \n(Short Dental Fear Question, SDFQ) and an instrument measuring interaction between \nadolescents and dental staff (Patient Dental Staff Interaction Questionnaire, PDSIQ). \nAlso, adolescents’ subjective perception of interaction with dental staff, the association \nwith adolescents’ dental fear and sense of coherence as well as a multi-professional \nsmall-group intervention model for decreasing high dental fear were assessed. \n \nThe study sample comprised Finnish adolescents in transition to early adulthood, aged \n18–26 years (n = 777, n = 773, n = 5), except for a sample of 15-year-old adolescents \n(n = 27). Dental fear, sense of coherence (SOC) and the adolescents’ perceived \ninteraction with dental staff were assessed with questionnaires. The principles of fear \ntreatment such as gradual exposure, relaxation, encouragement and cornerstones of the \nreteaming method based on a solution-focused framework to maintain motivation and \npeer support were used to decrease fear in the intervention study. \n \nThe SDFQ was found to be a valid dental fear instrument and the PDSIQ a valid \ninteraction instrument with five factors of interaction retrieved: ‘kind atmosphere and \nmutual communication’, ‘roughness’, ‘insecurity’, ‘trust and safety’, and ‘shame and \nguilt’. Highly fearful young adults more often perceived their interaction with dental \nstaff as negative, more often felt insecure and had a weaker sense of coherence \ncompared to their peers with no to moderate dental fear. The results of the intervention \nstudy showed that young adults’ high dental fear decreased and their commitment to \ndental treatment increased. \n \nThe SDFQ is clinically feasible and informative instrument in measuring dental fear. \nKnowledge of the level of fear enables dental staff to better consider an adolescent’s \nfear. Dental staff should be aware that a supportive interaction style, creating trust and \nsafety, is especially beneficial for highly dentally fearful young adults. A weak SOC \nmay affect young adults’ high dental fear in that they would not have enough tools to \nmanage their fear. A multi-professional small therapeutic group seems to increase \nfearful young adults’ resources for confronting dental treatment.
Source: UTUPub (University of Turku)
Author: Sirkka Jaakkola
Language: English
Subfield: Oral Surgery
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1917793215