Reliability and validity of the Serbian version of Children's Dental Fear Questionnaire

Maja Radiša Lalić; Ema Aleksić; Jasmina Milić; Adam Malešević; Bojan Jovičić

doi:10.2298/5477

Maja Radiša Lalić Faculty of Stomatology Pančevo, University Business Academy, Novi Sad, Serbia
Ema Aleksić Faculty of Stomatology Pančevo, University Business Academy, Novi Sad, Serbia
Jasmina Milić Faculty of Stomatology Pančevo, University Business Academy, Novi Sad, Serbia
Adam Malešević Faculty of Stomatology Pančevo, University Business Academy, Novi Sad, Serbia
Bojan Jovičić Clinic for Dentistry, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/5477

Keywords: child, dental anxiety, questionnaires, serbia,

Abstract

Background/Aim. Dental anxiety leads to avoidance of dental treatment and could lead to impaired oral health. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability of the Serbian version of Children’s Fear Survey Schedule Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) and the relations between dental anxiety and oral health status in a sample of Serbian schoolchildren. Methods. The CFSS-DS scale was translated into Serbian and administered to 231 (12-year old) patients of the Pediatric Dental Department, Public Health Center Čukarica, Belgrade. The number of healthy, decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT score) in children was determined by a clinical exam. Results. The average CFSS-DS score was 26.47 ± 10.33. The girls reported higher anxiety than the boys (p < 0.05). Most common fears were drilling, choking, going to the hospital and anesthesia. Lower CFSS-DS scores were recorded in children with all healthy teeth (p < 0.05). Children with higher CFSS-DS scores mostly visit the dentist due to pain or parental insistence, and those with lower anxiety scores more often visited dentist due to regular check-ups or non-invasive treatments (p < 0.01). A high value of the Cronbach's coefficient of internal consistency (α = 0.88) was found in the entire scale. Conclusion. The Serbian version of CFSS-DS questionnaire is reliable and valid psychometric instrument for evaluation of dental fear in Serbian children. Dental anxiety negatively affects dental attendance and oral health of the examined schoolchildren.

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