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Motivation and anxiety for dental treatment: Testing a self-determination theory model of oral self-care behaviour and dental clinic attendance

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Abstract

The present study: (1) developed a Self-Regulation Questionnaire for Dental Treatment (SRQDT) based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci and Ryan, Psychol Inq 11:227–268, 2000), and (2) used it to test a SDT process model of oral self-care behaviours and dental clinic attendance. Patients’ perceptions of autonomy supportive (relative to controlling) dental professionals were expected to be positively associated with patients’ psychological needs satisfaction in treatment, which was expected to be positively related to relative autonomous motivation for dental treatment and perceived dental competence, and negatively related to anxiety for dental treatment. In turn, relative autonomous motivation for dental treatment and perceived dental competence were expected to be positively associated with oral self-care behaviours and dental clinic attendance. Anxiety for dental treatment was expected to be negatively related to dental clinic attendance and positively linked to putting off making a dental clinic appointment. Confirmatory factor analysis of the 5 factor SRQDT model fit the data very well, and a structural equation model supported the hypothesized process model.

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Correspondence to Anne E. Münster Halvari.

Additional information

Authors Contributions: AEMH designed the study and developed the items for the PCSDCQ, the SRQDT, and the OHPB together with HH. ELD provided critical and constructive comments to the initial design. AEMH collected the data. AEMH analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript together with HH. GB and ELD provided critical and constructive comments to the versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Appendix

Appendix

The 9-item Basic Need Satisfaction in Dental Treatment Questionnaire based on the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction in Exercise Scale (BPNES; Vlachopoulos and Michailidou 2006).

Items are back-translated to English from Norwegian and their factor loadings from confirmatory factor analysis are presented in parentheses and bold (OI = Original Item).

Participants responded to items following this stem: “When you are in treatment, how true or untrue are the following statements?”

Relatedness

  • I feel extremely comfortable when with the other exercise participants (OI).

  • I feel comfortable when I am with my dental professional (.88).

  • I feel that I associate with the other exercise participants in a very friendly way (OI).

  • I feel that I and my dental professional associate in a friendly/pleasant way (.94).

  • I feel very much at ease with the other exercise participants (OI).

  • I feel very much at ease with my dental professional (.83).

Competence

  • I feel I have been making a huge progress with respect to the end result I pursue (OI).

  • I feel I have been making a huge progress with respect to my dental health goals (.62).

  • I feel that I execute very effectively the exercises of my training program (OI).

  • I feel that I execute very precisely and well my dental care (.78).

  • I feel that I can manage with the requirements of the training program I am involved (OI).

  • I feel that I can manage the requirements of my dental treatment (.85).

Autonomy

  • I feel very strongly that the way I exercise fits perfectly the way I prefer to exercise (OI).

  • I feel very strongly that the treatment/examination fits perfectly the way I prefer it to be (.88).

  • I feel that the way I exercise is definitely an expression of myself (OI).

  • I feel that the way I become treated/cared about at dental examinations is definitely an expression of my wishes (.94).

  • I feel very strongly that I have the opportunity to make choices with respect to the way I exercise (OI).

  • I feel in a good way that I have the opportunity to make choices with respect to treatment/examination (.81).

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Münster Halvari, A.E., Halvari, H., Bjørnebekk, G. et al. Motivation and anxiety for dental treatment: Testing a self-determination theory model of oral self-care behaviour and dental clinic attendance. Motiv Emot 34, 15–33 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-010-9154-0

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