Validity and reliability of the Brazilian version of the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics questionnaire

Abstract

Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is an important aspect of health outcomes and its assessment should be made using validated instruments. The psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics questionnaire (PIDAQ) is an OHRQoL instrument that assesses the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics was developed and validated for use on young adults. The aim of the present study was to assess the reliability, validity, and applicability of the PIDAQ for young adults in Brazil. After translation and cross-cultural adaptation, the questionnaire was completed by 245 individuals (124 males and 121 females) aged 18-30 years from the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. In order to test discriminant validity, the subjects were examined for the presence or absence of malocclusion based on the dental aesthetic index criteria. Dental examinations were carried out by a previously calibrated examiner [weighted kappa = 0.64-1.00, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.78-1.00]. Internal consistency measured by Cronbach's alpha of the subscales was between 0.75 and 0.91 and test-retest reliability was assessed using the ICC, which ranged from 0.89 to 0.99 for dental self-confidence and social impact, thereby revealing satisfactory reliability. Discriminant validity revealed that subjects without malocclusion had different PIDAQ scores when compared with those with malocclusion. The results suggest that the Brazilian version of the PIDAQ has satisfactory psychometric properties and is thus applicable to young adults in Brazil. Further research is needed to assess these properties in population studies.