COGNITIVE CORRELATES OF DENTAL ANXIETY

This study examined cognitive correlates of dental anxiety among 24 hi ghly anxious patients and 17 low-anxious patients. In both groups, anx iety expectations, dental trait anxiety, and state anxiety (in the wai ting room and in the dental chair) were rated. Negative cognitions and cognitive control were also assessed. It was found that dentally high -anxious patients claimed to experience more negative thoughts than th ose with low anxiety (p < 0.001). None of the highly anxious patients reported relatively few negative cognitions, and none of the patients in the low-anxiety group reported relatively numerous negative cogniti ons. While patients from both groups reported that cognitive control d eclined with the imminence of treatment, highly anxious patients were found to have less control over their negative thoughts (p < 0.001). A series of stepwise regression analyses revealed that both the number of negative cognitions and perceived cognitive control accounted for 7 5% of the variance in dental trait anxiety. The results of the present study suggest that cognitive activities, such as negative thinking (c atastrophizing) and cognitive control, are important moderators of den tal anxiety.