Psychometric properties of the modified dental anxiety scale: An independent replication

Aim To estimate the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, discriminant and concurrent validity of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Method Survey of a cohort of 135 dental patients in three equal groups (non-anxious; treated anxious; highly anxious). The average age of the total sample was 39.2 years (SD=13.21), 101 patients (75%) were female. All patients were asked to complete the MDAS, together with the brief form (six items) of the Speilberger Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Thirty-three participants completed the MDAS on a second occasion 2-3 months after the first testing session. Findings The MDAS is highly internally consistent (Cronbach alpha=0.93) and shows good reliability over time (Intra-class correlation coefficient=0.93). The MDAS was found to discriminate between the three groups of participants defined by self-reported anxiety level, and correlates highly with the Speilberger Trait Anxiety Inventory. Conclusions The MDAS is a highly consistent and reliable measure which has good discriminant and concurrent validity.