Abstract :
We tested the hypothesis that a psychosocial dental
intervention formulated in terms of self-determination
theory would increase patients’ perceived competence and
autonomous motivation for dental care and would decrease
their plaque and gingivitis over a seven month period, compared
to standard dental treatment. We also tested a process
model in which the intervention was expected to increase
perceived dental competence and autonomous motivation,
that they would be positively associated with oral health behaviors
(i.e., brushing and flossing), which was expected to
decrease plaque and, in turn, decrease gingivitis. We also
examined whether: changes in perceived competence and
autonomous motivationwouldmediate the effect of the intervention
on dental-health behaviors; dental-health behaviors
would mediate the links from changes in perceived competence
and autonomous motivation to change in plaque; and
change in plaque would mediate the relation of dental health
behaviors to change in gingivitis. Finally, we examined the
fit of the overall model with structural equation modelling.
Results supported all predictions.
