Attitude toward Tooth Brushing and the Validity of the Questionnaire Based on Self-efficacy in Brushing in the 13-15 Years Adolescents in Isfahan, Iran

Although oral health behaviors are associated with the personal attitude of individuals, proper behaviors through instilling positive attitudes should be discussed. Self-efficacy in tooth brushing is an effective predictor of oral health behaviors. The present study aimed to describe the attitude toward tooth brushing among the adolescent students in Isfahan and investigate the association between the attitudes and self-efficacy in brushing. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 students aged 13-15 years in the public schools of Isfahan, Iran. The participants were selected via random two-stage stratified sampling. Data were collected using the questionnaire of brushing (40 items) and self-efficacy brushing tool (six items), and the two constructs were measured within the score ranges of 0-160 and 6-24, respectively. After extracting the descriptive findings, attitude and its domains and the association with self-efficacy in tooth brushing were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman’s correlation-coefficient. In total, 381 questionnaires were completed, and the mean age of the students was 14.2 years. In addition, the gender ratio was the same. The mean score of attitude was 76±13.3. Total score of attitude (P=0.021) and score of the responsibility domain (P=0.008) were significantly higher in girls compared to boys. The mean score of self-efficacy was 15.9±4.3, and the total score of attitude had no significant correlation with self-efficacy. However, significant associations were observed between the values, emotions, and accountability domains. Moreover, the scores of attitude (P=0.01) and self-efficacy (P=0.001) were significantly correlated with the frequency of tooth brushing. According to the results, the overall status of the attitudes toward tooth brushing was at an average level. Although the questionnaire of attitude showed a significant correlation with self-reported tooth brushing habits, the criterion validity was not confirmed based on self-efficacy. Moreover, gender was observed to affect the attitude toward tooth brushing, while it had no effect on self-efficacy