The ethological method as a means for evaluating stress in children two to three years of age during a dental examination.

A dental examination could be perceived by small children as an "at-risk" situation. The behaviors observed in these children during a dental examination depend not only on the examination situation but also on other factors, such as the sex of the child or the sex of the accompanying parent. The ethological method provided a means for evaluating behavioral differences due to the sex of the child and that of the accompanying parent. Results showed that girls appeared better able to master the examination situation than did boys, regardless of the sex of the accompanying parent. The girls appeared more secure, and exhibited more exploratory behavior than did the boys. The boys, on the other hand, appeared less secure than did the girls especially when the father was the accompanying parent.