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A study to explore if dentists' anxiety affects their clinical decision-making
S Y Chipchase1, H R Chapman1,2, R Bretherton3
1School of Psychology.
British Dental Journal
|February 25, 2017
Summary
Dentists’ clinical anxiety impacts their decision-making and treatment choices. This anxiety is linked to occupational stress and burnout, suggesting a need for targeted training interventions for dental professionals.
Area of Science:
- Dental Practice
- Clinical Psychology
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Dentists experience anxiety in clinical situations, potentially influencing their professional judgment.
- Occupational stress and burnout are prevalent issues within the dental profession.
- Understanding the interplay between anxiety, decision-making, and burnout is crucial for improving dental care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a scale measuring dentists' anxiety in clinical situations (DACSS-R).
- To investigate the impact of clinical anxiety on dentists' self-reported decision-making and treatment modifications.
- To examine the association between occupational stress (burnout) and clinical anxiety/decision-making in dentists.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving dentists in primary dental care settings.
- Validated questionnaires were used to assess burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), decision-making style (Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire), and anxiety (Dentists' Anxieties in Clinical Situations Scale - DACSS-R/DACSS-C).
- Statistical analyses included correlation and multiple regression to explore relationships between variables; qualitative data underwent thematic analysis.
Main Results:
- The DACSS-R demonstrated good internal reliability and a four-factor structure, effectively measuring dentists' anxiety.
- Higher anxiety scores (DACSS-R) correlated significantly with reported changes in clinical procedures (DACSS-C).
- Dentists' anxiety was associated with decision-making self-esteem, decision-making style, and all subscales of burnout, but not with coping with uncertainty (DUQ).
Conclusions:
- The validated DACSS provides a reliable measure of dentists' anxiety in clinical settings.
- Clinical anxiety demonstrably affects dentists' clinical practice and decision-making processes.
- Findings highlight the significant association between dentists' anxiety, burnout, and decision-making styles, underscoring the need for targeted professional development and support.
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