Age and sex differences in children's reports of dental anxiety and self-efficacy relating to dental visits.

In 2 related studies (cross-sectional and longitudinal) of the dental experience and behavior of 784 boys and 741 girls aged between 9 and 12 yrs, it was found that dental anxiety increased with age; sex differences became marked after age 9 yrs and girls contributed significantly more to the increase than boys. Self-efficacy ratings regarding future good behavior in the dental operatory were taken to reflect emotional processing of past dental experiences. Low self-efficacy predictions and perception of dental anxiety in peers contributed significantly to self-reports of dental anxiety. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)