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Self‐reported efficacy of an online dental anxiety support group: a pilot study
Author(s) -
Coulson Neil S.,
Buchanan Heather
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.2007.00349.x
Subject(s) - anxiety , medicine , clinical psychology , support group , psychiatry , family medicine
– Objectives: This study aimed to explore the self‐reported effectiveness of an existing online dental anxiety support group in terms of perceived level of anxiety since accessing the group. Methods: An online questionnaire was completed by 91 individuals who accessed the Dental Fear Central, an online support group bulletin board, during an 8‐week period in 2005. Participants reported background demographic information, their own self‐reported evaluation of the efficacy of the support group, as well as completing the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Results: In total, 60% of the sample considered that the support group had ‘somewhat’ or ‘greatly lessened’ their anxiety. Overall MDAS scores were significantly lower in the ‘greatly lessened’ group. Conclusions: The results of this nonrandomised pilot study suggest some individuals retrospectively considered that, since accessing the online group, they experienced a reduction in dental anxiety. Future research should employ a randomised controlled design in order to determine the contribution of the online group to self‐reported changes in dental anxiety over time.