Abstract
Drawings can be used as a method of communication that represents an individual's self-concept, anxiety, attitude or conflict. The purpose of this study was to evaluate children's drawing as a measure of dental anxiety in a dental setting. Seventy-eight children, aged 6-12years, were enrolled in this study. Pulp therapy and/or restorative treatment was performed during the first therapeutic session for all participants. Sound, Eye and Motor (SEM) and Frankl scales were used as an objective assessment of behaviour during treatment. After the treatment session, the children were instructed to draw a picture of a person at a dental clinic. Children's drawings were scored by a paediatric dentist and a psychologist using Child Drawing: Hospital (CD: H) scale and emotional indicators of Human Figure Drawings (HFD). The findings were compared with Frankl and SEM scores. There was a significant negative correlation between Frankl and CD: H scores (P=.017), and a significant negative correlation was found between HFD and Frankl scores (P=.048). Drawings can reveal a considerable amount of information about children's emotional status, and children's drawing can be a useful non-verbal self-report measure to evaluate anxiety in a paediatric dental setting.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
