Scale Overview
The Child Dental Control Assessment – CDCA was developed by Weinstein et al. (1996), Coolidge et al. (2005) (2005). It is designed to measure Child dental control and coping preferences. The scale is intended for use with Children and youth.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Dentist-Mediated Control, Active Coping, Cognitive Withdrawal, Reassurance, Physical Escape.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Dentist-Mediated Control |
3,4,5,6 |
4 |
| Active Coping |
16,17,18 |
3 |
| Cognitive Withdrawal |
8,13,15 |
3 |
| Reassurance |
1,13 |
2 |
| Physical Escape |
7,9,10 |
3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = False, 1 = Sometimes, 2 = True.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 40. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low desire for control: 0 – 13
- Moderate desire for control: 14 – 26
- High desire for control: 27 – 40
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Dentist-Mediated Control (0.68), Active Coping (0.7), Cognitive Withdrawal (0.6), Reassurance (0.55), Physical Escape (0.52).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.