Comparison of Chairside Cooperative Ability with Social Quotient of Mentally Challenged Children

Fostering a positive dental attitude in children to enhance their oral health status and engaging them positively throughout their dental experience is the cornerstone of pediatric dentistry practices. The behavior of the child in a dental setting depends upon their emotional, psychological, and mental developmental state. Children with special health needs tend to have more anxiety than healthy children. A low level of social intelligence (SI), fewer adaptive skills, and poor social development take a longer time to accept dental treatment. Thus, social development can impact a child's behavior during dental treatment. This study aimed to correlate the chairside cooperative ability with the social quotient of mentally challenged children.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 166 children with mental retardation between the ages of 6 and 12 who also had comorbid conditions like autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. The study was conducted in an institution for special children. Information regarding demographic details was noted. Social quotient was assessed using the modified Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS) scale, and chairside cooperative ability was assessed using the Frankl behavior rating scale. All the data were tabulated and statistically analyzed.

In this study, mildly retarded children exhibited 78.6% cooperative behavior, while only 29% of moderately, 5.2% of severely, and 0% of profoundly retarded children exhibited cooperative behavior. The Chi-squared test found a statistically significant association between social quotient and Frankl behavior rating (p = 0.000). Children with Down syndrome were mildly retarded and exhibited cooperative behavior compared to children with cerebral palsy and autism.

It is concluded that children with a higher social quotient exhibited better cooperative behavior than children with a lower social quotient. Therefore, social development has a considerable impact on a child's behavior during dental treatment.

Social development has a considerable impact on a child's behavior during dental treatment.

AR SE, Srinivasan D, Mohan LP, et al. Comparison of Chairside Cooperative Ability with Social Quotient of Mentally Challenged Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(12):1321-1329.