Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 14, 2026
08:53
Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke
Published on: June 6, 2025
1.9K
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Children with Dental Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial
S Shahnavaz1, E Hedman2, M Grindefjord1,3
1Department of Dental Medicine, Division of Pediatric Dentistry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
JDR Clinical and Translational Research
|February 9, 2018
Summary
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) significantly reduces dental anxiety in children. This treatment led to greater improvements in managing dental procedures and overall well-being compared to usual care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Child Psychology
- Behavioral Health
Background:
- Dental anxiety affects 9% of children, leading to poor oral health and psychosocial issues.
- Effective treatments are needed to manage childhood dental anxiety in specialist settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children with dental anxiety.
- To compare CBT with treatment as usual (TAU) in a pediatric dentistry context.
Main Methods:
- A parallel-group superiority randomized controlled trial was conducted.
- Participants (n=30) aged 7-18 were randomized to CBT or TAU.
- The behavioral avoidance test (BAT) was the primary outcome measure, with assessments at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year.
Main Results:
- CBT demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the BAT compared to TAU (P < 0.01).
- 73% of CBT participants successfully completed all dental procedures in the BAT versus 13% in TAU.
- 91% of CBT participants no longer met dental anxiety criteria at 1-year follow-up, compared to 25% in TAU.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for pediatric dental anxiety.
- CBT should be integrated into specialist pediatric dental services for improved patient outcomes.
- Findings support the use of CBT for children and adolescents experiencing dental anxiety.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Cognitive Therapy
1.3K
Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...
1.3K
01:23Cognition and Behavior
386
Social psychology examines the complex interplay between individual mental processes and social interactions. Historically, the field was divided into two domains: social behavior and social cognition. Researchers focusing on social behavior analyzed actions within social contexts, such as conformity, aggression, or cooperation. Meanwhile, social cognition researchers investigated how people perceive, interpret, and mentally represent their social environments. However, modern perspectives no...
386
01:25Beck's Cognitive Therapy
409
Cognitive therapy is a psychological approach designed to address distortions in thinking, which can lead to negative emotions and unrealistic beliefs. These cognitive distortions often influence how individuals interpret and respond to situations, exacerbating emotional distress. Below are some prevalent cognitive distortions, their characteristics, and examples of how they manifest in thought processes.
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
409
01:22Behavior Therapy
752
Behavior therapy incorporates diverse techniques rooted in classical conditioning principles to address maladaptive behaviors and anxiety disorders. These methods aim to reduce avoidance behaviors, foster adaptive coping mechanisms, and alter associations between stimuli and responses, making them effective in a wide range of therapeutic contexts.
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
752
01:15Causes of Social Behavior II: Cognitive Processes
215
Cognitive processes affect social behavior by guiding how individuals perceive, interpret, and respond to social stimuli. These mental processes enable individuals to assess others' behaviors, attribute causes to their actions, and form expectations based on past experiences.Causes of Behavior and Social JudgmentsIndividuals determine the causes of others' behaviors by distinguishing between personal traits and external circumstances. For example, if a friend frequently arrives late, an...
215
01:24Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
476
Cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBTs) are grounded in the belief that our thoughts profoundly influence our emotions and actions. Advocates of CBT emphasize three core assumptions: first, that cognitions are identifiable and measurable; second, that they are central to psychological functioning; and third, that irrational or maladaptive beliefs can be replaced with rational and adaptive ones. This transformative approach to therapy has paved the way for specific models such as Albert...
476