The effect of auditory distraction and suggestion on tolerance for dental restoration in adolescents and young adults

Author(s): Logan, H., Walker, J.

Journal/Book: Journal of Music Therapy. 1990; 27: Philadelphia, PA, USA. National Association for Music Therapy. 13-23.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of auditory distraction (self-selected music) and suggestion on tolerance for dental treatments in adolescents and young adults. Forty subjects (ages 13-25) requiring restorative dental treatment participated in the study. Individual subjects differences for anxiety and perceived control in a dental setting were measured during a screening appointment. No significant difference was found between the adults and adolescents on these measures. During the second appointment, subjects received standard dental treatment with local anesthesia along with auditory stimulus and suggestion that the auditory distractor would be effective. Following treatment, subjects reported level of pain, distress, helplessness, and tension using a visual analogue scale. T-tests revealed sig- nificant differences between adolescents and adults on the measure of help- lessness. Susceptibility to suggestion was believed to have contributed to this outcome. Other measures were marginally significant or nonsignificant.

Keyword(s): music, music-listening, dental-treatment, dentistry, adolescents, adults, pain, helplessness, tension, anxiety, auditory-distraction, suggestion, distress.

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