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. 2024 Oct 12;13(20):6093.
doi: 10.3390/jcm13206093.

Impact of Virtual Reality Intervention on Anxiety and Level of Cooperation in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder during the Dental Examination

Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Kheraif  1 , Tasneem Rashed Adam  1 , Aisha Wasi  1 , Raghad Khalid Alhassoun  1 , Rawan Mohammed Haddadi  2 , Mohammed Alnamlah  3
Affiliations

Impact of Virtual Reality Intervention on Anxiety and Level of Cooperation in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder during the Dental Examination

Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Kheraif et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently encounter increased levels of anxiety and display resistant behaviors during dental examinations, which negatively affects their oral care and maintenance. This study employed a cross-sectional design to evaluate the impact of virtual reality (VR) intervention on the anxiety and level of cooperation in children and adolescents with ASD during dental examinations. Methods: A total of 140 participants diagnosed with ASD, aged from 4- to 18-years-old, were selected from two specialized ASD management centers in Riyadh/Saudi Arabia. The participants were randomly allocated into either the control group or the VR group. Control group participants were subjected to a conventional dental examination, while the VR group utilized VR intervention to immerse themselves in a simulated natural and soothing environment. The Venham anxiety and behavior scale (VABS) was utilized to measure anxiety levels, while the Frankl behavior rating scale (FBRS) was employed to assess the level of cooperation. Data were analyzed using a Mann-Whitney U test with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The baseline anxiety and level of cooperation between the groups were comparable (p > 0.05). During the dental examination, the VR group had significantly reduced anxiety scores (2.48 ± 1.76) compared to the control group (1.50 ± 1.74) (p < 0.001). Regarding the level of cooperation, the VR group exhibited significantly greater levels of cooperation (3.41 ± 0.96) than the control group (2.86 ± 1.03) (p = 0.002). Conclusions: These findings suggest that VR intervention is a successful technique for decreasing anxiety and enhancing cooperation among children with ASD during dental examination. Integrating VR technology in dental environments can potentially improve the dental experience and results for children diagnosed with ASD.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; dental anxiety; oral health; oral hygiene; virtual reality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Virtual reality intervention: (a) Oculus Quest 2 VR headset; (b) the customized interactive environment as viewed from the VR headset; (c,d) still images of the navigation through the interactive environment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean VABS and FBRS scores indicating the anxiety and level of cooperation of the study groups during dental examination.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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