Child Drawing: A Projective Tool for Dental Anxiety Assessment

Keywords: Anxiety, Drawing, Psychology

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Assessment of child’s anxiety is important in order to determine the success of dental treatment. Drawing, a nonverbal, self-report, projective and non-invasive technique may prove be helpful and needs to be explored in order to access anxiety in children requiring dental treatment.
AIM: To investigate the applicability of children’s drawings as an indicator to measure their level of anxiety.
MATERIALS & METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a total of hundred children between age group of 4-6 years. Children were asked to draw dental operatory on A4 sheet and colour it with basic set of 12 colours. The drawing was scored using Child Drawing: Hospital (projective scale) scale and the results were compared with pulse oximeter readings (physiological parameter) and Venham Picture Test scorings.
RESULTS: Child Drawing: Hospital scale scoring had a positive correlation with pulse oximeter reading (involuntary) (p-value = 0.125) and a negative correlation with Venham picture test (p-value = 0.140).
CONCLUSION: Drawing may be statistically significant projective tool significant to assess child anxiety in dental setting.

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Author Biographies

Ankita Yadav

Post Graduate Student, Department of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram

Shalini Garg

Professor, Department of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram

Ankit Srivastava

Reader, Department of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram

Anil Gupta

Professor & Head, Department of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram

Shikha Dogra

Senior Lecturer, Department of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram

Sakshi Joshi

Senior Lecturer, Department of Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram

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CITATION
DOI: 10.26440/IHRJ/0401.04331
Published: 2020-04-22
How to Cite
1.
Ankita Yadav, Shalini Garg, Ankit Srivastava, Anil Gupta, Shikha Dogra, Sakshi Joshi. Child Drawing: A Projective Tool for Dental Anxiety Assessment. IHRJ [Internet]. 2020Apr.22 [cited 2024Mar.29];4(1):19-5. Available from: https://ihrjournal.com/ihrj/article/view/331
Section
Original Research(s)