Relationship of the dental anxiety scale to the state-trait anxiety inventory.

Abstract

Anxiety is a universal concept prominently associated with visiting the dentist. Its specific meaning and predictive power depend on how it is measured. Clinically, if the anxiety measure is more specific and situationally related, its predictive power to that situation is greater (ZUCKERMAN, Trait and State Anxiety: A Critical Appraisal of the Trait Construct with Extensions to Measurements of Motives and Implications for Clinical Assessment, paper presented at the American Psychological Association, 1973). Many anxiety measures exist that determine different aspects of anxiety. Interpretation can be aided by knowing how a given measure is related to other measures of known reliability and validity. Corah has published a short four-item test to measure dental anxiety (CORAH, J Dent Res 48: 596, 1969). As part of a larger study of reactions to outpatient dental emergency care, the dental anxiety scale (DAS) and the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) (SPIELBERGER, GORSUCH and LUSHENE, STAI Manual for the StateTrait Anxiety Inventory, 1970) were administered to 73 adult patients (39 men, 34 women) who were awaiting dental treatment. It became possible to correlate the reactions of patients as measured by both scales. The study also included the palmer sweat index (PSI), which is a measure of automatic arousal (SUTARMAN and THOMSON, J Physiol (Lond) 117: 51, 1952). The STAI test is used, since it has known reliability, validity, and a Spanish translation. It assesses two aspects of anxiety-state and trait anxiety. State anxiety refers to the complex emotional reactions that fluctuate over time as a function of stresses that impinge on the individual. This type of anxiety, which consists of tension, worry, and nervousness, is measured by 20 items in which the person rates the intensity of his feelings at the moment. The scores range from 20 to 80. Trait anxiety refers to a personality characteristic that is relatively stable within individuals over time. It involves a tendency to be ap-