Structured-Visual Model for Dental Examination in Autism Spectrum Disorder Children: Cooperation and Compliance

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Behavioral Science
• Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

• Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face challenges in social interaction, communication, and sensory processing.
• These challenges can negatively impact cooperative behavior during dental visits, necessitating specialized approaches.
• Visual pedagogy is a recognized technique to aid dental examinations and treatments for children with ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a structured-visual behavioral approach.
• To promote compliance and cooperation during dental examinations for children with ASD.
• Study conducted in the Yogyakarta Special Region Province, Indonesia.

Main Methods:

• Quasi-experimental design with 1 pre-test and 3 post-tests.
• Intervention involved 5 visits over 5 weeks using techniques like Tell-Show-Feel-Do and Visual Pedagogy.
• Efficacy measured by compliance with examination stages and cooperation using the Frankl Behavior Scale (FBS) in 37 children with ASD.

Main Results:

• 64% of children achieved the highest score for examination stage compliance by post-test 1.
• 75% achieved a cooperation score of 4 (highest) on the Frankl Behavior Scale by post-test 1.
• Statistically significant improvements in examination compliance and cooperation were observed (P < .01).

Conclusions:

• The structured-visual behavioral model effectively enhanced compliance and cooperation during dental examinations for children with ASD.
• Implementing structured-visual models in routine dental practice can benefit children with ASD.
• This approach offers a valuable strategy for improving oral healthcare experiences for children with ASD.