A study of behaviour patterns of normal children in a dental situation and its relationship with socioeconomic status, family type and sibling position.

ABSTRACT

Different psychosocial variables, such as socioeconomic status, family type and sibling position may be considered to be of great significance as it may influence child behaviour pattern in a dental treatment situation. 143 children in the age group of 3-14 years were selected randomly from the out patient department of Pediatric Dentistry, Dental Wing, S. C. B. Medical College, Cuttack with an aim of assessing relationship, if any, between the magnitude of behaviour and the above mentioned psychosocial variables. Behaviour rating was done using Frankl behaviour rating scale. The results of the study reveals no significant relationship between socio economic status, family type and sibling position with child behaviour pattern, but a trend has been observed that children of high socio economic back ground behave more positively, children of a nuclear family exhibit more negative attitude and middle siblings show less negative behaviour than youngest and eldest.