Anxiety and pain measures in dentistry: A guide to their quality and application

Background. The authors review measures of anxiety and pain used in recent dental studies. In particular, the study identifies the reliability, validity and usefulness of the measures. Type of Studies Reviewed. Three computerized databases of published scientific literature were searched over a 10-year period. Only studies that included measures of anxiety or pain were included. Results. Information on the reliability and validity of 15 measures of dental care anxiety and three measures of pain and pain-related behaviors is provided. Reliability and validity data for most measures are good. Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale is the most widely used measure of anxiety, although it may not be as sensitive as other measures. The McGill Pain Questionnaire is the measure of choice for the assessment of pain. Clinical Implications. The authors have summarized properties of the scales for clinicians and researchers planning to use measures of anxiety, measures of pain, or both.