IADR Abstract Archives

ANXIETY LEVELS, PRECLINIC CYCLE IN DENTAL. STUDENTS. LA FRONTERA UNIVERSITY, TEMUCO, CHILE

Aim: The objective of this study was to determinate the tendencies and the behavior anxiety dimensions: trait and state in dental students during years 2007 to 2009 Materials and methods:   longitudinal study. Anxiety was assessed by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Sample was constituted by 56 students of first year (2007); 26 second year (2008) and 43 third year (2009) that consent to participate and present in the activity. Statistic analysis, the tendency of the measurements evaluated with Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel and the behavior with the model of repeated measures GEE Results:   of the 56 students, 48.2% corresponded to the male sex. Age average 19.2 ± 2.16 .S.D. The Anxiety-State dimensions averages scores for years 2007 (45.34); 2008 (44.50); 2009 (39.55).
The lineal tendency of the average through years is significant for this dimension (p=0.0477) and the GEE test showed being significant between 2007 and 2009 (p=0.0003).
In Anxiety-Trait dimension, the averages were (41.61); (43.73); (38.47), respectively. The lineal tendency for this average is not significant in this dimension (p=0.9169) and the GEE test showed not being significant for any year (p=0.0833; p=0.2136). Generally, it is observed that scores averages correspond at mean levels for both dimensions (30-44). Sex do not modify the behavior of the measurements in the different years, (p>0.05) Conclusion:   The anxiety appears like a frequent phenomenon in dental students. The levels of anxiety are medium-higher with tendency to increase in proportion to curricular advance. There was no relation between gender and age. The careers of Dentistry should plan educational strategies to early detection and control of high levels of anxiety considering the risk in the emotional and physical health of the student body. 

 

Division: Chilean Division Meeting
Meeting: 2010 Chilean Division Meeting (Valdivia, Chile)
Location: Valdivia, Chile
Year: 2010
Final Presentation ID: 122
Abstract Category|Abstract Category(s): 2010 Accepted Abstracts
Authors
  • Corsini Muñoz Gilda Angélica,
  • Herrera Machuca Jessica Carmen,
  • Bustos Medina Luis,
  • SESSION INFORMATION
    2010 Accepted Abstracts