Measurement and predictors of young adults' perceived ability to cope with dental life events

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to assess coping skills and predictors of the ability to cope with dental life events employing a 10-item rather than a 48-item rating questionnaire. A representative random sample of 1490 subjects aged 25 years from 3 Norwegian counties received a mail questionnaire in March 1997. The response rate was 62% after 1 reminder. Eight selected items from the Social Readjustment Rating Questionnaire (SRRQ) plus 2 dental items were presented as graphic rating scales with the endpoints 'not difficult at all' and 'more difficult than anything'. Mean values were used to rank the life events and for comparison with findings from a previous study. Information was also collected for 16 predictor variables (Table 2). The informants found it moderately difficult to cope with losing one or more teeth and with getting dentures. A 10- and a 48-item rating scale seemed to give comparable results. In multiple logistic regression analysis, controlling for having experienced extraction during the previous 5 years, gender, and dental anxiety were significant predictors of both dental life events; education, many cavities, and belief in keeping teeth for life influenced coping with getting dentures. The identified predictors of dental life events explained <11% of the variance. In addition to extending the list of predictors of perceived need for skills to adjust to dental life events, the study also provided evidence to suggest that it may be acceptable to rely on a shorter rating questionnaire.