Temperamental reactivity and negative emotionality in uncooperative children referred to specialized paediatric dentistry compared to children in ordinary dental care

Temperamental reactivity and negative emotionality in uncooperative children referred to specialized paediatric dentistry compared to children in ordinary dental care
Issue online:
11 Oct 2007
To cite this article: KRISTINA ARNRUP, ANDERS G. BROBERG, ULF BERGGREN, LENNART BODIN (2007)
Temperamental reactivity and negative emotionality in uncooperative children referred to specialized paediatric dentistry compared to children in ordinary dental care
International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 17 (6), 419Ò429.
doi:10.1111/j.1365-263X.2007.00868.x
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KRISTINA ARNRUP 11Department of Pedodontics, Postgraduate Dental Education Center, ˜rebro, Sweden, , ANDERS G. BROBERG 22Department of Psychology, Gàteborg University, Gàteborg, Sweden, , ULF BERGGREN 33Unit of Dental Behavioural Science, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gàteborg University, Gàteborg, Sweden, and & LENNART BODIN 44Department of Statistics, ˜rebro University, Sweden and Clinical Research Centre, ˜rebro University Hospital, ˜rebro, Sweden

Correspondence to:
Kristina Arnrup, Department of Pedodontics, Postgraduate Dental Education Center, PO Box 11 26, SE-701 11 ˜rebro, Sweden. E-mail: kristina.arnrup@orebroll.se

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2007; 17: 419Ò429

Abstract
Background. Current treatment of children with dental behaviour management problems (DBMP) is based on the presupposition that their difficulties are caused by dental fear, but is this always the case?

Objective. The aim of this study was to study temperamental reactivity, negative emotionality, and other personal characteristics in relation to DBMP in 8- to 12-year-old children.

Methods. Forty-six children referred because of DBMP (study group) and 110 children in ordinary dental care (reference group) participated. The EASI tempramental survey assessed temperamental reactivity and negative emotionality, the Child Behaviour Questionnaire internalizing and externalizing behaviour problems, and the Children's Fear Survey Schedule general and dental fears. Cluster analyses and tree-based modelling were used for data analysis.

Results. Among the five clusters identified, one could be characterized as Îbalanced temperamentÌ. Thirty-five per cent of the reference group compared to only 7% of the study group belonged to this cluster. Negative emotionality was the most important sorting variable.

Conclusions. Children referred because of DBMP differed from children in ordinary dental care, not only in dental fear level, but also in personal characteristics. Few of the referred children were characterized by a balanced temperament profile. It is important to consider the dual impact of emotion dysregulation and emotional reactivity in the development of DBMP.

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