A Test of Mastery versus Coping Modeling in the Reduction of Children's Dental Fears

Abstract

This study compared mastery and coping models in the reduction of relatively high fear and tear-related behaviors of children undergoing dental treatment. Boys and girls, ranging form 4-to-12 years of age and reporting high dental fears, were grouped according to previous dental experience (none vs. previous experience). The children were exposed to one of three experimental conditions: a coping model slide-and-audiotape presentation, a mastery model presentation, or a no-slide presentation condition. Subjects' reported levels of dental fear and general anxiety were reassessed following the experimental manipulation. Additionally, subjects' disruptive behaviors were tallied during the subsequent dental treatment. No differences on the dependent measures were found due to exposure to a model, model type, or level of previous dental experience. Combined with other studies, the present results raise critical questions regarding the efficacy of mastery versus coping modeling as well as for the theoretical distinction of the two modeling types.