Parenting Style, Locus of Control, and Oral Hygiene in Adolescents

Jolanta Aleksejūnienė,Vilma Brukienė

doi:10.3390/medicina48020009

Jolanta Aleksejūnienė, Vilma Brukienė

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina48020009

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to test if variations in oral hygiene levels in adolescents were associated with locus of control and parenting styles after controlling for demographic factors. The study sample comprised 237 adolescents aged 12-13 years. The structured questionnaire included demographic characteristics and items about parenting style and locus of control. The Individual Quantitative Plaque % Index (IQPI) and toothbrushing frequency were used as clinical outcome measures. In the bivariate analyses, socioeconomic status (P=0.012), number of children in the family (P=0.003), and frequency of toothbrushing (P=0.001) were related to dental plaque levels. Gender (P<0.001), socioeconomic status (P=0.022), and external locus of control (Spearman rho, -0.144, P=0.027) were statistically significantly associated with toothbrushing frequency. In the multivariate analyses, only socioeconomic status and toothbrushing frequency were statistically significantly related to the IQPI. When toothbrushing frequency as the second outcome variable was used, the IQPI and gender were statistically significant. The association with socioeconomic status did not reach statistical significance (P=0.07). Only socioeconomic status and toothbrushing frequency explained variation in dental plaque levels among adolescents. The expected relationship among parenting styles, locus of control, and oral hygiene levels was not confirmed.

Highlights

Stable patterns of health-related behaviors are established during adolescence, and it is difficult to change these behaviors during the adult years [1,2,3]
Only socioeconomic status and toothbrushing frequency were statistically significantly related to the Individual Quantitative Plaque % Index (IQPI)
The study hypothesized that oral hygiene levels in adolescents were associated with locus of control and parenting styles after controlling for demographic factors

Summary

Introduction

Stable patterns of health-related behaviors are established during adolescence, and it is difficult to change these behaviors during the adult years [1,2,3]. Different patterns in oral hygiene behavior in boys and girls have been observed, with girls having more positive dental practices than boys [7, 8]. Locus of control and low socioeconomic status (SES) have been related to oral health [9, 10]. SES has been associated with oral hygiene. Differences in oral health behaviors have not been fully accounted for differences in socioeconomic status [11]. It is possible that SES is influencing health through known behavioral pathways, and in some other unknown ways. The parents’ child-rearing practices have a strong influence on the child’s development and socializa-

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