Behavioral intervention: a tool in early childhood caries prevention.
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| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | AIM: The aim was to find out whether tools of behavioral intervention can affect behavior of mothers of infants within prevention of early childhood caries. METHODS: 39 mothers of infants which completed originally designed questionnaire containing 10 positive and 10 negative pictorial and text infomation related to dental caries were included. Oral status of their one-year-old children was examined. The emotional impact of the text and pictorial stimuli was evaluated using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) technique, which represents three emotional dimensions: valence, arousal, and domination. RESULTS: The results proved that negative pictorial and text warnings about caries risks development had a potential to evoke emotional responses in mothers. Mothers rated themselves as in high control over the individual submitted stimuli. A significant correlation between the negative and positive stimuli was recorded (P<0.01): a more dangerous stimulus (less valence) was associated with a higher arousal and a more pleasant stimulus was associated with a higher mothers’ sense of being in control over it. On the contrary, the higher arousal it caused, the less in control they were (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We assume, if mothers experience negative warnings arousing strong emotions of fear about their children’s health, it is advisable to offer them at the same time a solution how to avoid possible consequences of their behavior. Appropriate prevention measures, i.e. a combination of negative and positive pictorial and text information, could be presented to mothers in the waiting-rooms of pediatricians, dental practitioners, on pre-school notice boards, or labels of sweetened drinks. |
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