Abstract
The purpose of this study was to discover the changes in the adaptation of children to the Dental setting, and to discover the relationship between the adaptation, and the personality of the child, the personality of the mother, as well as the relationship between the mother and child. The subjects were 60 two to six year old children and their mothers who visited at the Department of Pedodontics, School of Dentistry, Showa University. The results were as follows:
1) The changes of adaptation were classified in groups of four classes. Four groups: Continuous Adaptability (45.0%)
Acquired Adaptability (18.3%)
Continuous Inadaptability (16.7%)
Extreme Inadaptability (20.0%)
2) The inadaptability groups (Continuous Inadaptability and Extreme Inadaptability)of the two to three year old children did not correlate to the change of adaptation and personality of the child, and the relationship between the mother and child.
3) The extreme inadaptability group with the four year old children showed a connection with the change of adaptation and the various Phycological Tests.
Concerning personality, the children showed elements of “dependence” “retrogression”and “maladaptation to school (kindergarten)”.
Concerning the mother child relationship, there were elements of “anxiety”“dotage” “follow blindly” “disagreement”.
4) Nobody showed extreme inadaptability in the group of five to six year old children.
Continuous Inadaptability group with the five to six year old children showed scarcely any problems.
5) The Personality of mother did not cerrelate to the change of adaptation of children in the dental setting.
