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Self‐regulation in oral hygiene behaviours in adults with gingivitis: The mediating role of coping planning and action control
Author(s) -
Araújo MárioRui,
Alvarez MariaJoão,
Godinho Cristina A.,
Almeida Tânia,
Pereira Cícero R.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of dental hygiene
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.674
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1601-5037
pISSN - 1601-5029
DOI - 10.1111/idh.12430
Subject(s) - oral hygiene , coping (psychology) , structural equation modeling , medicine , gingivitis , clinical psychology , tooth brushing , self efficacy , hygiene , cognition , dentistry , psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , statistics , brush , mathematics , toothbrush , electrical engineering , engineering , pathology
Aim This study investigates the joint role of volitional predictors of oral hygiene behaviours of flossing and brushing in adults with gingivitis, framed by the Health Action Process Approach model (HAPA). Materials and Methods In a longitudinal online survey, 201 participants aged 18‐75, of which 56.7% were women, completed assessments at baseline(T1), 2 weeks(T2) and 4 months(T3). Oral hygiene behaviours(OH) (brushing and flossing) and social cognitive determinants of behaviour in the HAPA: action and maintenance self‐efficacy(ASE & MSE), intention(INT), coping planning(CP) and action control(AC) were evaluated. Structural equation modelling was used to test a series of three nested models. In Model 1, action self‐efficacy would determine MSE and INT, and INT would determine OH; in Model 2, INT would determine both CP and AC and the two OH behaviours; and in Model 3, CP and AC would be sequential mediators between INT and OH. Results Model 3, predicting a mediating process from intention to behaviour via coping planning and action control, showed the best fit according to the fit indices and explained more of the variance in dental hygiene. The mediating role of coping planning and action control between intention and oral hygiene behaviours was thus confirmed. Importantly, coping planning did not mediate between intention and oral hygiene behaviours, which means that oral hygiene intention influences action control through coping planning, and both sequentially mediate this influence on behaviour. Conclusions For individuals who are not yet following the recommendations for specific oral hygiene behaviours, coping planning and action control represent psychological mechanisms by which intentions are put into practice.