Reliability and validity of the Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire in a population of 23-year-olds in Norway.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the internal structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire (DSQ) in a population of young adults in Norway. The DSQ scale was mailed to a representative sample of 968 subjects aged 23 years in two Norwegian counties. The reliability assessment of the instrument was based on internal consistency analysis (Cronbach's alpha). A factor analysis (principal component) was used to confirm the internal structure of the scale. The construct validity of the DSQ was indicated by: (i) its correlation with the patients' beliefs regarding the way dentists deliver care, indexed by the Dental Beliefs Survey (DBS); and (ii) differences in DSQ scores between subjects who had dropped out from dental care at the age of 23 years and regular attenders. The response rate was 69%. The alpha (Cronbach's) coefficient for the overall construct of DSQ was 0.81 (n = 655), and 0.65 or more for the subscales pain management, quality, and access. The correlation coefficient between the sum-scores of DSQ and DBS for the entire sample was r = -0.69. Subjects in the dropout group had significantly lower satisfaction with dental care than the rest of the group (P < 0.001). This study generally confirms the structure of the DSQ instrument and indicates that it is a reliable and valid instrument in cultures other than the one for which it was previously tested.