45 - Impact of Child Temperament and Parenting Styles on Sedation Outcomes

Abstract:

Purpose: To assess whether a child's temperament and parenting style influence acceptance of dental procedures under oral sedation.

Methods: Children aged 3–10 years undergoing moderate sedation for dental treatment were included. Parents completed two validated questionnaires: the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (very short form) to measure temperament and the Parenting Styles & Dimensions Questionnaire to assess parenting styles. Correlations between these factors and sedation success were analyzed. Success was defined as completion of planned treatment with good patient cooperation.

Results:

Of 98 sedation procedures, 64% were successful. The success group had a significantly higher mean age (7.6 years vs. 6.4 years; P value = .005), while other demographic factors showed no association. Temperament was assessed across three dimensions: negative affectivity, surgency, and effortful control. Within negative affectivity, subscales included anger, discomfort, fear, sadness, and soothability; none reached statistical significance. However, anger scores were slightly lower in the success group (4.3 ± 1.4 vs. 4.7 ± 1.2). Inhibitory control was significantly higher among successful cases (5.0 ± 1.1 vs. 4.5 ± 1.2), suggesting its potential role in sedation outcomes. Trends toward success were noted in children with lower anger and impulsivity and higher perceptual sensitivity. Parenting style scores did not differ significantly, indicating no measurable impact on outcomes. A potential limitation due to the self-reporting nature of the questionnaires could lead to some bias in our outcomes.

Conclusions: Sedation success was positively associated with specific temperaments, particularly inhibitory control, suggesting that behavioral characteristics may influence patient cooperation under moderate sedation.