Investigating the relationship between psychophysiological parameters and behavioral patterns in children aged 7–10 years during dental treatment

Abstract Background Dental procedures elicit anxiety which can hinder treatment quality. Psychophysiology science provides insights into anxiety in behavior management by measuring autonomic indicators. This study examined the relationship between psychophysiological parameters and behavioral patterns in children during dental treatments. Methods This cross-sectional descriptive analytical study was conducted on 40 eligible children receiving dental treatment. Demographic information, clinical history, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), dental treatment type and local anesthesia were recorded. Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) and heart rate variability (HRV) metrics were assessed. Child behaviors were measured using the Frankl Scale. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and one-way ANOVA. The significance threshold was set at a p-value < 0.05. Results Post-treatment VAS scores were significantly higher (P = 0.003). HRV metrics, including Very Low Frequency (VLF) (P = 0.005), Low Frequency (LF) (P = 0.014), High Frequency (HF) (P = 0.024), and LF/HF ratio (P = 0.022) exhibited significant changes after treatment. The Frankl 2 group demonstrated the largest increases in VAS scores (P = 0.001). The Frankl 3 group exhibited a significant positive GSR shift, while the Frankl 2 group showed a significant negative GSR shift (P < 0.05). Among clinical factors, VLF was significantly correlated with treatment type, particularly in cases involving dental fillings (P = 0.015, r = 4.36). Conclusion GSR are associated with child behavior during dental setting.