Clinical trial NCT04580316: Parental Presence and Preschoolers' Behavior
Official title: Active/Passive Parental Presence Influences Behavior of Preschoolers With Different Intelligence and Fear Levels in the Dental Setting: Randomized Clinical Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Parent-Child Relations
Dental Fear
Keywords: Dental fear
Intelligence quotient
Preschool children
Parental technique
Behavior modification
Lead sponsor: Alexandria University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2020-10-08
Enrollment: 150
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 3
Maximum age (years): 6
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effect of parental active/passive presence technique (PAP/PPP) on the overall behavior of preschool children with different intelligence and fear levels.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial recruited 150 healthy children, 3-6 years old, with no history of previous dental pain/treatment, IQ level ≤70 to ≤110. After sample collection, in the first visit, children were stratified according to their Intelligence Quotient into 3 equal groups (high, average, low) in which each group was further equally and randomly divided into 2 sub-groups (test and control). In the second visit, before intervention with preventive measures, dental fear was assessed using facial image scale. During intervention, the control sub-groups were managed using PPP technique, while the test sub-groups were managed using PAP technique. Overall behavior was assessed using Frankl behavior rating scale at the end of the 2nd visit. Data was analyzed using chi-square test and logistic regression analysis.

Results: The PAP technique had significantly higher odds of positive behavior than the PPP technique (P=0.002).

Conclusions: Children with low intelligence showed higher dental fear and negative behavior in the dental setting. PAP technique had significant positive effect on the children's overall behavior with different fear and intelligence levels.

Detailed description: The design of the study was a randomized controlled clinical trial with an allocation ratio of 1:1. Children enrolled in this study were stratified based on their IQ into three groups; high, average and low IQ groups. In each of these three groups, children were randomly and equally allocated into study and control subgroups. Thus, this study included 6 subgroups.

- Visual Screening and History taking were carried out to identify children who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Parental meeting was also conducted to explain the child entire research plan.

The children were recruited from the Outpatient clinic of Pediatric Dentistry Department in Faculty of Dentistry at Alexandria University.

The IQ test for each selected child took place in a quiet closed room (special need clinic). The preventive measures were applied in the pediatric clinic of the department.

- Interventions

In the first visit, children who fulfilled the inclusion/ exclusion criteria were evaluated by IQ test then divided into 3 equal groups (50 children) according to their level of intelligence IQ as follows:

1. High IQ Children group (HIQ): with score of (110 and above)
2. Average IQ Children (AIQ): with score of (90-109)
3. Low IQ Children (LIQ)(with the normal intelligence range): with score of (70-89) In the second visit, fear was measured in each group followed by random allocation into test and control subgroups and then the implementation of the intervention.

   * In each group (50 children), 25 children in subgroup S (study group) were managed using Parental Active Presence (PAP) technique, while the other 25 children in subgroup C (control group) were managed using Parental Passive Presence (PPP) technique. Parental Active / Passive Presence technique was accompanied with Tell-Show-Do (TSD) Technique (Addelston, 1959). During this management, dental preventive measures were applied.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ranging from 3-6 years (the preoperational stage) (Piaget, 1954; 1966).
2. Patients with no history of previous dental treatment and no history of dental pain.
3. Patients with at least one sound quadrant for sealant application.
4. Patients IQ level should be in the normal intelligence range.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Multiple dental problems with pain.
2. History of previous dental therapy
3. History of medical and psychological problems
4. Any degree of intellectual disability

Primary outcomes:
measure: Overall Behavior
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: Fear Measure
timeFrame: 1 month
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Alexandria
country: Egypt
facility: Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University
Study officials:
affiliation: Alexandria University
name: Karin M. Dowidar, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Shetty RM, Pashine A, Jose NA, Mantha S. Role of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) on anxiety and behavior in children with hearing and speech impairment. Spec Care Dentist. 2018 Jan;38(1):13-18. doi: 10.1111/scd.12264. Epub 2018 Jan 4.
citation: Piira T, Sugiura T, Champion GD, Donnelly N, Cole AS. The role of parental presence in the context of children's medical procedures: a systematic review. Child Care Health Dev. 2005 Mar;31(2):233-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2004.00466.x.
citation: AlDhelai TA, Khalil AM, Elhamouly Y, Dowidar KML. Influence of active versus passive parental presence on the behavior of preschoolers with different intelligence levels in the dental operatory: a randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC Oral Health. 2021 Aug 28;21(1):420. doi: 10.1186/s12903-021-01781-z.