OBJECTIVE: The relationships between temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and negative affectivity/emotions across cultures and the emotional predictors for TMDs in Southeast Asian youths were investigated. METHODS: The presence of TMDs and negative affectivity/emotions were determined with the Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21). Statistical evaluations were done with non-parametric and logistic regression analyses (α. RESULTS: The total sample comprised 400 Singaporean and 501 Indonesian youths (mean age 19.30 ± 1.48 years
65.0% women) of whom 47.0% and 59.3% had mild-to-severe TMDs, respectively. For both cultures, participants with TMDs had significantly greater negative affectivity, depression, anxiety, and stress than those with no TMDs. Indonesian youths also presented higher levels of emotional distress than their Singaporean counterparts. Correlations between FAI and anxiety/stress scores were moderately strong. CONCLUSION: Cultural variations can influence the expression of TMDs and emotional distress. Being female and anxious increased the risk of TMDs.