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Matching preparatory intervention to coping style: The effects on children's distress in the dental setting
1Case Western Reserve University, USA. bethc@pcicirs.pci.pitt.edu
Objective:
Investigate the effects of matching preparatory interventions to patient's coping styles.
Methods:
Participants were 61 children, with a restricted age range of 6 through 9 years old (mean age was 7.9 years), who underwent dental restoration. Participants were randomly assigned to an information intervention, a relaxation intervention, or a control condition. Play and parent-report of sensitization/repression were indices of coping style. The first hypothesis, that play would relate to sensitization/repression, was tested using Pearson correlations. The second hypothesis, that interventions that were congruent with patients' coping styles would be more effective than incongruent interventions, was tested using MANCOVAs.
Results:
No relation was found between play and coping style. The "congruency hypothesis" was supported for self-reported distress immediately following the intervention. On behavioral distress variables, the interaction between sensitization/repression and condition was contrary to the congruency hypothesis.
Conclusions:
Implications for future research and clinical intervention with pediatric populations were discussed.