Evaluation of the influence of child–parent relationship on dental fear in children: A cross-sectional study
Sakshi Chawla, Dhanashree Dalal, Madhura Pawar, Sakshi Bhude, Lalit Patil, Sneha PanamgipalliABSTRACT
Background:
Dental fear and anxiety can complicate treatment delivery in children, while the contribution of broader child–parent relationship characteristics remains uncertain.
Aims:
The study aimed to evaluate the association between child–parent relationship domains and dental fear among children aged 6–12 years.
Settings and Design:
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary dental care center.
Materials and Methods:
Children attending the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry were recruited consecutively. Dental fear was assessed using the 17-item Modified Children’s Fear Survey Schedule–Dental Subscale, and child–parent relationship quality was evaluated using the 30-item Child–Parent Relationship Scale. Closeness, conflict, and dependency were analyzed as domain scores. Of 300 available records, 299 met the eligibility criteria for the primary analysis.
Statistical Analysis Used:
Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, Spearman’s rank correlation, Mann–Whitney
Results:
The mean dental fear score was 33.61 ± 7.30. Tooth extraction, syringe-related procedures, and drilling produced the highest fear scores. Closeness (
Conclusions:
Dental fear was more closely related to procedure-specific concerns than to the child–parent relationship domains assessed in this study. Particular attention should be directed toward fear associated with needles, drilling, and anticipated extraction.