Journal of Dental Research, Vol 73, 561-566, Copyright © 1994 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Cognitive correlates of dental anxiety
A. De Jongh, P. Muris, G. ter Horst, F. J. Van Zuuren and C. A. De Wit
Department of Social Dentistry and Dental Health Education, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
This study examined cognitive correlates of dental anxiety among 24 highly
anxious patients and 17 low-anxious patients. In both groups, anxiety
expectations, dental trait anxiety, and state anxiety (in the waiting room
and in the dental chair) were rated. Negative cognitions and cognitive
control were also assessed. It was found that dentally high-anxious
patients claimed to experience more negative thoughts than those with low
anxiety (p < 0.001). None of the highly anxious patients reported
relatively few negative cognitions, and none of the patients in the
low-anxiety group reported relatively numerous negative cognitions. While
patients from both groups reported that cognitive control declined with the
imminence of treatment, highly anxious patients were found to have less
control over their negative thoughts (p < 0.001). A series of stepwise
regression analyses revealed that both the number of negative cognitions
and perceived cognitive control accounted for 75% of the variance in dental
trait anxiety. The results of the present study suggest that cognitive
activities, such as negative thinking (catastrophizing) and cognitive
control, are important moderators of dental anxiety.
