| Popis: |
Background: This study makes innovative contributions regarding the association of facial self-contact frequency and duration in dental clinic patients with psychosocial factors such as dental fear, fear of COVID-19 and trait anxiety, because such self-contact could have an impact on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.Results: Statistically significant associations were found between the number and duration of facial self-contacts with trait anxiety and dental fear. Women showed more frequent self-contact of the face in general and considering dental anxiety, we observe that the amount of self-contact for women remained. However, in men as dental fear increases, so do facial self-contacts. Trait anxiety is a mediating variable in the relationship between dental anxiety and the number of facial self-contacts.Conclusions: There is a positive association between the number of facial self-contacts and trait anxiety and dental anxiety. However, there is no association between self-contacts and fear of COVID-19. Women make a greater number of facial self-contacts, more trait anxiety and more dental anxiety. The relationship between dental anxiety and self-contacts was moderated by gender and the relationship between dental anxiety and self-contacts is mediated by trait anxiety. |
