Evaluation of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory as a predictor of disruptive behavior during an initial pediatric dental examination.

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI), a parent rating scale of children's behaviors at home, and children's disruptive behaviors during an initial dental visit. Behaviors of 18 Headstart children, 40 to 55 months of age, undergoing an initial exam were observed. Four possible negative behaviors based upon the North Carolina Behavior Rating Scale (NCBRS), were recorded by two observers for each subject during five phases of an initial dental visit and statistically compared to the total ECBI score and individual answers within the ECBI questionnaire. Overall, the majority of subjects displayed clinically acceptable behavior. Four disruptive behaviors explained 92.9% of the variation in responses by the subjects to the initial visit. These were: high hand movement during the intraoral examination, crying or verbal protest during prophylaxis, oral physical resistance during prophylaxis, and oral-physical resistance during fluoride application. The following 6 questions explained 99.3% of the variation in ECBI responses by parents or guardians: (#9) refuses to obey until threatened with punishment, (#15) whines, (#18) hits parents, (#24) verbally fights with friends his own age, (#28) constantly seeks attention, and (#35) is overactive or restless. While the total number of subjects observed were too low to generate statistically significant results, the trends appear to indicate that a child's disruptive or nondisruptive behavior at home is not a reliable predictor of disruptive or nondisruptive behavior within the dental setting. These findings are independent of gender or race.