Aims of the study This study investigated relationships between severity of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, shame, anger and early childhood experiences (early maladaptive schemas and recalled patterns of parental bonding). Design of the study This is a non-experimental, cross-sectional study. Data was collected once, using a semistructured interview and self-report questionnaires. The Sample The sample was 50 individuals with a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. On average the group had high levels of PTSD, depression symptoms and high levels of shame and anger. Main findings The study found that shame, anger and early maladaptive schemas (abandonment, social isolation, defectiveness/shame, incompetence and subjugation) were significantly associated with severity of PTSD. Shame was found to mediate the relationship between severity of PTSD and early maladaptive schemas and anger, respectively. Early maladaptive schemas mediated the relationship between low maternal care and shame. Finally this study found that shame emerges as the only independent predictor of the severity of PTSD when other variables (anger and early maladaptive schemas) are taken into account. This suggests that the relationships of anger and early maladaptive schemas to severity of PTSD are not independent of shame.Implication of findings These findings highlight the need to take into account the presence of emotions (such as shame and anger) and other psychological factors (such as early maladaptive schemas) when formulating clinical cases of PTSD and executing treatment plans. This is particularly important as many current treatment interventions are based on exposure therapy aimed at alleviating fear/anxiety based responses to trauma. Traditionally such treatments do not pay sufficient attention to shame and anger, which may worsen with exposure techniques and disrupt emotional processing of the traumatic event. Also the presence of early maladaptive Schemas may contribute to chronicity and maintenance of PTSD and may need to be addressed in any treatment plan.

Introduction: Deliberate self-harm is being increasingly recognised as a behaviour with significant clinical importance. Yet, there remains uncertainty regarding which forms of psychological therapy are most effective for its treatment. Schema Therapy is an integrative psychotherapy blending elements of cognitive behaviour therapy, object relations and gestalt therapy into a unified approach for the treatment of individuals with complex and chronic psychological conditions. The current thesis aimed to provide a better understanding of the Schema Therapy model and its association with deliberate self-harm. Systematic Review: Despite the increasing evidence base for the efficacy of Schema Therapy, less is known about the evidence for its theoretical underpinnings. To address this gap in the literature a systematic review was undertaken to explore the following question: How empirically supported is the theoretical underpinning of Schema Therapy? In a systematic search of the literature conducted until 01 June 2012, studies based on cross-sectional, longitudinal, intervention, meditational and experimental designs were considered. These studies underwent detailed quality analysis culminating in 19 articles being included in the current review. Overall these studies indicate that many of the key theoretical assumptions in Schema Therapy are supported by the literature. Empirical Study: Schema Therapy has recently been expanded to include the ‘schema mode’ concept, with a number of researchers highlighting an association between particular schema modes and a number of chronic psychological conditions. Although the schema mode model allows a method for understanding moment-to-moment emotional states it has not previously been explored in relation to deliberate self-harm. The current project aimed to explore the relationship between these variables and their association with early experiences of parental bonding and current levels of perceived stress. 70 psychiatric outpatients with a history of deliberate self-harm completed a number of measures including the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory, Schema Mode Inventory, Parental Bonding Instrument and Perceived Stress Scale. Results revealed significant associations between deliberate self-harm, maladaptive schema modes, perceived stress and patterns of parental care. Maladaptive schema modes significantly mediated the relationship between parental care and deliberate self-harm. The Punitive Parent and Angry Child modes were significant mediators in this relationship. Conclusion: Results from the systematic review support the notion that Schema Therapy has a good theoretical underpinning. The empirical study also supports Schema Therapy by highlighting the meditational role of maladaptive schema modes in the relationship between low parental care in childhood and deliberate self-harm in adulthood. These findings provide further support for the Schema Therapy model and suggest that individuals with deliberate self-harm may benefit from this treatment.

No description available.

Introduction: Experiences of negative parenting and childhood abuse can have adverse consequences for the child‟s development particularly in relation to the ability to regulate emotions effectively. There has been extensive research in this area and attachment theory is pivotal. Problems in regulating emotions can involve not being able to recognise, label or manage internal and external states of mind and behaviour. Therefore research has shown that problems in emotion regulation skills due to negative parental and/or abusive experiences can result in long-term psychosocial problems such as depression. Research has suggested that adults with adverse childhood experiences exhibit risky behaviours as a means of managing their emotions such as self-harming, dangerous sexual encounters and substance misuse. Although research has shown that there is an association between these factors no real understanding of the pathways and the potential mediating roles these factors play has been investigated with people presenting with suicidal behaviour, which could be argued as the ultimate form of managing emotions and therefore the internal and external self. Therefore this study aims to answer the following question: Does childhood abuse and dysfunctional emotion regulation mediate the relationship between parental bonding and suicidal behaviour. Method: This study involved sixty participants from a suicidal behaviour sample presenting at an Accident and Emergency department aged between 18 - 65. Measures assessing childhood abuse, emotion regulation, parental bonding, suicidal intent, risk of repeating suicidal behaviour, depression and anxiety were completed. Results: Childhood emotional abuse was found to significantly mediate the relationship between low parental care and risk of repeating suicidal behaviour. A lack of external functional emotion regulation strategies was also found to mediate the relationship between parental care and risk of repeating suicidal behaviour. Finally, a lack of internal functional emotion regulation strategies was found to mediate the relationship between childhood physical abuse and risk of repeating suicidal behaviour. Conclusion: Preliminary findings of this study suggest that childhood emotional abuse and dysfunctional emotion regulation play a crucial role in further understanding those who engage in and are at risk of repeating suicidal behaviour. Therefore, emotions and emotion regulation within a developmental framework are important when considering long-term adult psychosocial functioning.

O vínculo parental e apego precoce tem um importante papel no desenvolvimento psicossocial das crianças, e vínculos disfuncionais têm sido associados a um maior risco para disfunção neurobiológica, incluindo risco para psicopatologia como Esquizofrenia (ESQ) e Transtorno Bipolar (TB). Biomarcadores periféricos de neuroplasticidade, inflamação e estresse oxidativo também têm sido associados a ambos transtornos. Nesta tese, examinamos pacientes com TB e ESQ comparados com controles saudáveis quanto às diferenças no estilo do vinculo parental, e se essas diferenças estariam correlacionadas com marcadores neurobiológicos. No primeiro artigo, descrevemos diferenças significativas na percepção do apego pelos pacientes com ESQ e TB nos primeiros 16 anos de vida. Os vínculos parentais dos pacientes com TB em relação aos com ESQ foram caracterizados pelo menor afeto (i.e., formulários mãe e pai, escores de “cuidado”) e maior controle (i.e., formulários mãe e pai, escores de superproteção), e nos pacientes ESQ maior exigência afetiva tanto da mãe como do pai, em relação aos pacientes com TB e CTR (i.e. formulários mãe e pai, escores de cuidado, afeto). No segundo artigo, avaliamos a correlação entre escala de vínculo parental e biomarcadores periféricos. Houve uma correlação positiva entre os níveis de IL6 e escores de cuidado do pai na ESQ e entre escores de cuidado materno no TB, ao mesmo tempo em que uma correlação negativa entre IL6 e superproteção paterna tanto na ESQ quanto no TB. Esses resultados sugerem que o estilo parental de vínculo pode ser uma ferramenta útil para detectar sinais precoces de ESQ e TB, o que pode ser correlacionado com gravidade dos sintomas ou com outros fatores que necessitam esclarecimento futuro, os quais podem estar associados às alterações na neurobiologia. O significado clínico dessas alterações biológicas ainda necessita investigação, envolvendo desenhos longitudinais. / Parent-child bonds and early attachment seem to have an important role in children’s psychosocial development, and disturbances in this relationship have been associated with increased risk for neurobiological dysfunctions, including mental disorders such as Schizophrenia (SCZ) and Bipolar Disorder (BD). Peripheral biomarkers of neuroplasticity, inflammation and oxidative stress have also been implicated in the pathophysiology of both disorders. In this work, we examined patients with BD and SCZ compared with healthy controls regarding differences in parental bonding style, and if these differences would correlate with neurobiological markers. In the first report, we describe that there were significant differences in the perception of attachment by patients during the first 16 years between SCZ and BD. The parental bonds of BD patients when compared to patients with SCZ were characterized by lower care (i.e., mother and father forms - care scores) and higher control (i.e., mother and father forms – overprotection scores) and in patients with SCZ higher care by parents compared to patients with BD and CTR (i.e., mother and father forms - care scores). In the second article, we conducted a correlation between the Parental Bonding Index and peripheral biomarkers. We found that IL-6 positively correlated with PBI father care in SCZ and PBI mother care in BD, and negatively correlated with PBI father overprotection in both disorders. These findings suggest that parental bonding style may be an useful tool to detect early signs of SCZ and BD and may be correlated to severity of symptoms or other factors that warrant further investigation, which are associated with changes in neurobiology. The clinical meaning of these changes remains to be examined in future longitudinal studies.

O vínculo parental e apego precoce tem um importante papel no desenvolvimento psicossocial das crianças, e vínculos disfuncionais têm sido associados a um maior risco para disfunção neurobiológica, incluindo risco para psicopatologia como Esquizofrenia (ESQ) e Transtorno Bipolar (TB). Biomarcadores periféricos de neuroplasticidade, inflamação e estresse oxidativo também têm sido associados a ambos transtornos. Nesta tese, examinamos pacientes com TB e ESQ comparados com controles saudáveis quanto às diferenças no estilo do vinculo parental, e se essas diferenças estariam correlacionadas com marcadores neurobiológicos. No primeiro artigo, descrevemos diferenças significativas na percepção do apego pelos pacientes com ESQ e TB nos primeiros 16 anos de vida. Os vínculos parentais dos pacientes com TB em relação aos com ESQ foram caracterizados pelo menor afeto (i.e., formulários mãe e pai, escores de “cuidado”) e maior controle (i.e., formulários mãe e pai, escores de superproteção), e nos pacientes ESQ maior exigência afetiva tanto da mãe como do pai, em relação aos pacientes com TB e CTR (i.e. formulários mãe e pai, escores de cuidado, afeto). No segundo artigo, avaliamos a correlação entre escala de vínculo parental e biomarcadores periféricos. Houve uma correlação positiva entre os níveis de IL6 e escores de cuidado do pai na ESQ e entre escores de cuidado materno no TB, ao mesmo tempo em que uma correlação negativa entre IL6 e superproteção paterna tanto na ESQ quanto no TB. Esses resultados sugerem que o estilo parental de vínculo pode ser uma ferramenta útil para detectar sinais precoces de ESQ e TB, o que pode ser correlacionado com gravidade dos sintomas ou com outros fatores que necessitam esclarecimento futuro, os quais podem estar associados às alterações na neurobiologia. O significado clínico dessas alterações biológicas ainda necessita investigação, envolvendo desenhos longitudinais. / Parent-child bonds and early attachment seem to have an important role in children’s psychosocial development, and disturbances in this relationship have been associated with increased risk for neurobiological dysfunctions, including mental disorders such as Schizophrenia (SCZ) and Bipolar Disorder (BD). Peripheral biomarkers of neuroplasticity, inflammation and oxidative stress have also been implicated in the pathophysiology of both disorders. In this work, we examined patients with BD and SCZ compared with healthy controls regarding differences in parental bonding style, and if these differences would correlate with neurobiological markers. In the first report, we describe that there were significant differences in the perception of attachment by patients during the first 16 years between SCZ and BD. The parental bonds of BD patients when compared to patients with SCZ were characterized by lower care (i.e., mother and father forms - care scores) and higher control (i.e., mother and father forms – overprotection scores) and in patients with SCZ higher care by parents compared to patients with BD and CTR (i.e., mother and father forms - care scores). In the second article, we conducted a correlation between the Parental Bonding Index and peripheral biomarkers. We found that IL-6 positively correlated with PBI father care in SCZ and PBI mother care in BD, and negatively correlated with PBI father overprotection in both disorders. These findings suggest that parental bonding style may be an useful tool to detect early signs of SCZ and BD and may be correlated to severity of symptoms or other factors that warrant further investigation, which are associated with changes in neurobiology. The clinical meaning of these changes remains to be examined in future longitudinal studies.

O vínculo parental e apego precoce tem um importante papel no desenvolvimento psicossocial das crianças, e vínculos disfuncionais têm sido associados a um maior risco para disfunção neurobiológica, incluindo risco para psicopatologia como Esquizofrenia (ESQ) e Transtorno Bipolar (TB). Biomarcadores periféricos de neuroplasticidade, inflamação e estresse oxidativo também têm sido associados a ambos transtornos. Nesta tese, examinamos pacientes com TB e ESQ comparados com controles saudáveis quanto às diferenças no estilo do vinculo parental, e se essas diferenças estariam correlacionadas com marcadores neurobiológicos. No primeiro artigo, descrevemos diferenças significativas na percepção do apego pelos pacientes com ESQ e TB nos primeiros 16 anos de vida. Os vínculos parentais dos pacientes com TB em relação aos com ESQ foram caracterizados pelo menor afeto (i.e., formulários mãe e pai, escores de “cuidado”) e maior controle (i.e., formulários mãe e pai, escores de superproteção), e nos pacientes ESQ maior exigência afetiva tanto da mãe como do pai, em relação aos pacientes com TB e CTR (i.e. formulários mãe e pai, escores de cuidado, afeto). No segundo artigo, avaliamos a correlação entre escala de vínculo parental e biomarcadores periféricos. Houve uma correlação positiva entre os níveis de IL6 e escores de cuidado do pai na ESQ e entre escores de cuidado materno no TB, ao mesmo tempo em que uma correlação negativa entre IL6 e superproteção paterna tanto na ESQ quanto no TB. Esses resultados sugerem que o estilo parental de vínculo pode ser uma ferramenta útil para detectar sinais precoces de ESQ e TB, o que pode ser correlacionado com gravidade dos sintomas ou com outros fatores que necessitam esclarecimento futuro, os quais podem estar associados às alterações na neurobiologia. O significado clínico dessas alterações biológicas ainda necessita investigação, envolvendo desenhos longitudinais. / Parent-child bonds and early attachment seem to have an important role in children’s psychosocial development, and disturbances in this relationship have been associated with increased risk for neurobiological dysfunctions, including mental disorders such as Schizophrenia (SCZ) and Bipolar Disorder (BD). Peripheral biomarkers of neuroplasticity, inflammation and oxidative stress have also been implicated in the pathophysiology of both disorders. In this work, we examined patients with BD and SCZ compared with healthy controls regarding differences in parental bonding style, and if these differences would correlate with neurobiological markers. In the first report, we describe that there were significant differences in the perception of attachment by patients during the first 16 years between SCZ and BD. The parental bonds of BD patients when compared to patients with SCZ were characterized by lower care (i.e., mother and father forms - care scores) and higher control (i.e., mother and father forms – overprotection scores) and in patients with SCZ higher care by parents compared to patients with BD and CTR (i.e., mother and father forms - care scores). In the second article, we conducted a correlation between the Parental Bonding Index and peripheral biomarkers. We found that IL-6 positively correlated with PBI father care in SCZ and PBI mother care in BD, and negatively correlated with PBI father overprotection in both disorders. These findings suggest that parental bonding style may be an useful tool to detect early signs of SCZ and BD and may be correlated to severity of symptoms or other factors that warrant further investigation, which are associated with changes in neurobiology. The clinical meaning of these changes remains to be examined in future longitudinal studies.

Objective. To explore the impact of parent psychological distress and parental bonding on agreement between informants about adolescent emotional functioning. Methods. The study employed an observational design in which 87 pairs of mothers and their adolescent sons or daughters aged 12-17 completed proxyand self-report ratings on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Mothers also completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale as a measure of their own psychological distress, and adolescents completed the Parental Bonding Instrument as a measure of their parenting experience. Moderation analyses using multiple linear regression were used to assess whether the association between maternal psychological distress and mother-adolescent agreement changed as a factor of parental bonding. Results. Kappa values indicated that mother-adolescent agreement was ‘fair’ for emotional problems. Mothers’ psychological distress and sub-optimal parenting were both associated with greater reporting discrepancies. Maternal psychological distress and perceived maternal were unique and combined predictors of reporting discrepancies. Perceived care moderated the relationship between maternal distress and agreement such that when care was rated as low, higher levels of maternal distress predicted poor agreement, but when care was rated as high no significant relationship was found between distress and agreement. Conclusions. Increased mother-adolescent agreement was associated with lower maternal psychological distress and higher ratings of perceived care. The effect of psychological distress on informant agreement varied as a factor of perceived maternal care. Results of this study support the need for multiinformant assessment and suggest that enquiry about mothers’ own psychological functioning could facilitate accurate assessment and intervention for adolescents who present at psychology services.

Uma alta prevalência de traumatismo dentário (TD) tem sido relatado nas últimas décadas em um panorama global. Os estudos apontam diferentes fatores associados ao TD em dentes decíduos, entretanto as varíaveis psicológicas maternas e seu papel no contexto do TD de crianças em idade pré-escolar devem ser melhor elucidadas. Objetivo: O objetivo desta dissertação foi descrever a prevalência e identificar fatores associados ao TD de pré-escolares de uma área adscrita no município de Porto Alegre, RS. Métodos: Estudo transversal analítico. Participaram deste estudo 163 crianças em idade pré-escolar, moradoras de áreas adstritas de unidades básicas de saúde de um hospital público de referência no município de Porto Alegre, RS. A amostragem foi aleatória por conglomerado, mantendo a proporção de nascidos vivos em 2008 em cada unidade. A coleta de dados foi domiciliar e ocorreu entre dezembro de 2011 a fevereiro de 2013. Três examinadoras previamente treinadas e calibradas (kappa ≥ 0,8) realizaram exames clínicos em todas as crianças da amostra para coletar dados sobre TD e maloclusão.Um questionário foi aplicado junto às mães, a fim de coletar dados socioeconômicos bem como questões relativas a hábitos bucais deletérios e à etiologia e local de ocorrência do TD. O índice utilizado para TD foi o Children’s Dental Health Survey criteria. Os sintomas de ansiedade e depressão materna foram avaliados através dos inventários Beck de ansiedade e inventário Beck de depressão; o Parental Bonding Index foi utilizado para aferir vínculo parental. A associação de TD e seus possíveis indicadores de risco foram avaliados através de regressão logística multinominal utilizando o software SPSS 16.0. A pesquisa foi aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética do Grupo Hospitalar Conceição. Resultados: Uma alta prevalência de TD foi encontrada na população em estudo (49,8%), sendo 28,4% trauma somente em esmalte. Não foi encontrada associação de TD a nenhuma variável psicológica materna. Entretanto, nível educacional e número de filhos, bem como número de moradores na residência, idade e atividade laboral materna nos primeiros dois anos de vida da criança estiveram associados ao TD de dentes decíduos na amostra selecionada. Características clínicas das crianças como overjet e mordida cruzada também mostraram associação com TD. Conclusões: O presente estudo aponta que o traumatismo dentário em dentes decíduos é um agravo bastante prevalente, tendo associação com características oclusais e fatores socioeconômicos maternos. / An increased prevalence of traumatic dental injury (TDI) has been reported in the last few decades in worldwide. Studies indicate different factors associated with TDI in primary teeth, however maternal psychological variables and their role in the context of TDI children in preschool children should be better elucidated. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify associated factors with dental trauma in preschool children in the city of Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Methods: Cross sectional study. The study included 163 preschool children living in areas attached to basic health units in of a public referral hospital in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. The sampling was randomized, keeping the proportion of live births in 2008 in each unit. Data collection was done from December 2011 to February 2013 in the residence of the sampled households. Three previously trained and calibrated examiners (kappa ≥ 0.8) realized clinical examinations on all children in the sample to collect data on TDI and malocclusion. The mothers answered a questionnaire to collect sociodemographic data, and questions about oral habits, etiology and place of occurrence TDI. The index TDI was recorded according to the Children’s Dental Health Survey criteria. Symptoms of maternal anxiety and depression were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory; the Parental Bonding Index was used to evaluate parental bonding. The association of dental injuries and their possible risk factors was estimated using multinomial logistic regression using the SPSS 16.0 software. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Hospital Group Conceição. Results: A high prevalence of dental trauma was found in the study population (49.8%), with 28.4% at the enamel level. There was no association of dental trauma to any maternal psychological variable. However, educational level and number of siblings as well as number of residents living in the same house, age and maternal work activity during the first two years of life of the children was associated with dental trauma in deciduous teeth in the selected sample. Clinical characteristics of children as overjet and crossbite also were associated to the presence of trauma. Conclusions: This study indicates that dental trauma in primary teeth is a fairly prevalent grievance, having association with occlusal characteristics and maternal socioeconomic factors.

Uma alta prevalência de traumatismo dentário (TD) tem sido relatado nas últimas décadas em um panorama global. Os estudos apontam diferentes fatores associados ao TD em dentes decíduos, entretanto as varíaveis psicológicas maternas e seu papel no contexto do TD de crianças em idade pré-escolar devem ser melhor elucidadas. Objetivo: O objetivo desta dissertação foi descrever a prevalência e identificar fatores associados ao TD de pré-escolares de uma área adscrita no município de Porto Alegre, RS. Métodos: Estudo transversal analítico. Participaram deste estudo 163 crianças em idade pré-escolar, moradoras de áreas adstritas de unidades básicas de saúde de um hospital público de referência no município de Porto Alegre, RS. A amostragem foi aleatória por conglomerado, mantendo a proporção de nascidos vivos em 2008 em cada unidade. A coleta de dados foi domiciliar e ocorreu entre dezembro de 2011 a fevereiro de 2013. Três examinadoras previamente treinadas e calibradas (kappa ≥ 0,8) realizaram exames clínicos em todas as crianças da amostra para coletar dados sobre TD e maloclusão.Um questionário foi aplicado junto às mães, a fim de coletar dados socioeconômicos bem como questões relativas a hábitos bucais deletérios e à etiologia e local de ocorrência do TD. O índice utilizado para TD foi o Children’s Dental Health Survey criteria. Os sintomas de ansiedade e depressão materna foram avaliados através dos inventários Beck de ansiedade e inventário Beck de depressão; o Parental Bonding Index foi utilizado para aferir vínculo parental. A associação de TD e seus possíveis indicadores de risco foram avaliados através de regressão logística multinominal utilizando o software SPSS 16.0. A pesquisa foi aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética do Grupo Hospitalar Conceição. Resultados: Uma alta prevalência de TD foi encontrada na população em estudo (49,8%), sendo 28,4% trauma somente em esmalte. Não foi encontrada associação de TD a nenhuma variável psicológica materna. Entretanto, nível educacional e número de filhos, bem como número de moradores na residência, idade e atividade laboral materna nos primeiros dois anos de vida da criança estiveram associados ao TD de dentes decíduos na amostra selecionada. Características clínicas das crianças como overjet e mordida cruzada também mostraram associação com TD. Conclusões: O presente estudo aponta que o traumatismo dentário em dentes decíduos é um agravo bastante prevalente, tendo associação com características oclusais e fatores socioeconômicos maternos. / An increased prevalence of traumatic dental injury (TDI) has been reported in the last few decades in worldwide. Studies indicate different factors associated with TDI in primary teeth, however maternal psychological variables and their role in the context of TDI children in preschool children should be better elucidated. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify associated factors with dental trauma in preschool children in the city of Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Methods: Cross sectional study. The study included 163 preschool children living in areas attached to basic health units in of a public referral hospital in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. The sampling was randomized, keeping the proportion of live births in 2008 in each unit. Data collection was done from December 2011 to February 2013 in the residence of the sampled households. Three previously trained and calibrated examiners (kappa ≥ 0.8) realized clinical examinations on all children in the sample to collect data on TDI and malocclusion. The mothers answered a questionnaire to collect sociodemographic data, and questions about oral habits, etiology and place of occurrence TDI. The index TDI was recorded according to the Children’s Dental Health Survey criteria. Symptoms of maternal anxiety and depression were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory; the Parental Bonding Index was used to evaluate parental bonding. The association of dental injuries and their possible risk factors was estimated using multinomial logistic regression using the SPSS 16.0 software. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Hospital Group Conceição. Results: A high prevalence of dental trauma was found in the study population (49.8%), with 28.4% at the enamel level. There was no association of dental trauma to any maternal psychological variable. However, educational level and number of siblings as well as number of residents living in the same house, age and maternal work activity during the first two years of life of the children was associated with dental trauma in deciduous teeth in the selected sample. Clinical characteristics of children as overjet and crossbite also were associated to the presence of trauma. Conclusions: This study indicates that dental trauma in primary teeth is a fairly prevalent grievance, having association with occlusal characteristics and maternal socioeconomic factors.