Assessment of patients with direct conditioned and indirect cognitive reported origin of dental fear.

• This study investigated the reported conditioned or cognitive origin of dental phobia in 100 adult patients at a specialized dental phobia clinic. It was shown that a majority of patients reported a conditioned background to their dental fear. Patients' avoidance time and level of dental anxiety corresponded to previously reported data for fearful groups. Individuals with an arousal conditioning etiology of dental fear reported significantly longer avoidance time as compared to individuals with a cognitively learned reaction. With the exception of an elevated level of general fears, most psychometrically assessed emotional reactions were well within normal ranges. However, patients with a non-conditioned, cognitive etiology reported significantly higher levels of trait anxiety and fear of embarrassment. In addition, a separate analysis among women revealed a greater fear of physical injuries among patients with cognitive etiology.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Adult

Affect

physiology

Analysis of Variance

Arousal

physiology

Attitude to Health

Cognition

physiology

Conditioning (Psychology)

physiology

Dental Anxiety

etiology

psychology

Depression

psychology

Emotions

physiology

Family

Fear

physiology

Female

Humans

Interpersonal Relations

Male

Sex Factors

Time Factors

Wounds and Injuries

psychology

Adult

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)