Studies on Cooperation-Enhancing Approach in Dealing with Children in the Dental Setting

2. Mother's Anxiety-trait and Child's Personality

Abstract

The relationship between the anxiety-trait of the mother and the personality of the child was investigated.70 one-to-thirteen-year old children and their mothers who visited at the Department of Pedodontics, School of Dentistry, Tokushima University were evaluated. The anxiety of the mother was measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the personality of the child was evaluated with the Takagi-Sakamoto Personality Diagnostic Test.
The results are summarized as follows:
1. The younger group of 3-6-year-old children was more “nervous”, experienced more “emotional instability”, and “maladaptation to the school” than the older group of 7-12-year-old children. The older group was more “selfassertive” than the younger group.
2. Correlations between “dependence” in the child and living with the grandfather and/or grandmother, and between “self-control”, “personal stability” in the child and the age of the father were recognized.
3. Correlations between “nervous”, “dependence”, “retrogress tendency” in the child and the anxiety-trait of the mother were recognized.