Association of Age and Temperamental Traits with Children’s Behaviour during Dental Treatment

Maria Lilia Adriana Juárez-López, Miriam Marin-Miranda, Jesús Lavalle-Carrasco, Alberto Pierdant, Leonor Sánchez-Pérez and Nelly Molina-Frechero
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Maria Lilia Adriana Juárez-López: Department of Paediatric Dentistry, FES Zaragoza, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City 09230, Mexico
Miriam Marin-Miranda: Department of Paediatric Dentistry, FES Zaragoza, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City 09230, Mexico
Jesús Lavalle-Carrasco: Department of Health Care, Division of Biological and Health Sciences, Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico
Alberto Pierdant: Department of Health Care, Division of Biological and Health Sciences, Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico
Leonor Sánchez-Pérez: Department of Health Care, Division of Biological and Health Sciences, Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico
Nelly Molina-Frechero: Department of Health Care, Division of Biological and Health Sciences, Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-8

Abstract: During paediatric dental treatment, cooperation by children is essential, and temperament can determine their behaviour style. This study aimed to associate temperamental traits and age with behaviour during paediatric dental treatment. This was an observational and cross-sectional study of patients aged 3–10 years. To determine the temperamental traits, an Emotionality Activity and Sociability Temperament Survey (EAS) was performed with the children’s parents. The type of behaviour was determined with Frankl’s criteria. The total scores for temperamental traits, means, and standard deviations were obtained. The chi-squared test, one-way ANOVA and Student’s t-test were applied. A total of 140 patients, who were 5 ± 2.1 years old, participated in the study. Age was determinant for negative behaviour, with a greater frequency in children ≤5 years old ( p < 0.05), and a significant negative correlation between age and behaviour (rho = −0.245, p = 0.001). Patients with higher emotionality and activity presented negative and definitely negative behaviours more frequently ( p < 0.01). The values for sociability and shyness were similar for positive or negative behaviours. In conclusion, the temperamental traits of emotionality and activity were more frequent in children with disruptive behaviours; therefore, conducting a survey on temperamental traits can be useful for planning behavioural approaches in paediatric dentistry.

Keywords: temperament survey; children’s behaviour; dental treatment; cooperation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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