Children and Adolescents With Dental Anxiety - Randomized Controlled Study of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Karolinska Institutet30 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine whether cognitive behaviour therapy is effective in the treatment of children and adolescents with dental anxiety. Our hypothesis is that children and adolescents who have been offered CBT shows significant better performance on outcome measures compared with patients in control group who have received treatment as usual.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Dental Anxiety

Interventions

Cognitive Behavioral TherapyBEHAVIORAL

The treatment group is offered cognitive behavior therapy(CBT) by psychologists/psychotherapists. CBT is offered according to a treatment manual and consists of 10- sessions during 12-15 weeks.

Treatment As UsualBEHAVIORAL

Treatment as usual consist of strategies such as habituation, tell-show-do, premedication with midazolam, nitrous oxide sedation and general anesthesia. All offered by dentists and dental hygienist and/or dental assistants.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 7 YearsMax age: 19 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * The patient and parents agree to participate in the research project * A primary diagnosis of specific phobia (dental anxiety or needle phobia) can be established according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th. Edition. Exclusion Criteria: * The diagnostic interview shows that other psychiatric or developmentally related diagnoses should be consider as the primary diagnosis * The patient undergoing psychiatric examination and/or psychotherapy * The patient has no dental treatment needs or the dental treatment needs are of an emergency nature.

Locations (1)

Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet

Stockholm, Huddinge, Sweden

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Changes in dental anxiety

Both child and parental versions of Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale will be administered.

Time frame: 3 months and 12 months from baseline

Secondary Outcomes

Changes in Behavioral Avoidance

Behavioral Avoidance Test consists of 18 dental situations. The patient is exposed to a situation at a time. Patients receive 1 point for every step he / she manage. The test is stopped when the patient does not want to go further.

Time frame: 3 months and 12 months from baseline

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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