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The Effects of Two Planning Interventions on the Oral Health Behavior of Iranian Adolescents: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a planning intervention (specifying when, where, and how to act) and an implementation intention intervention (specifying the same in the format of an if-then plan) in increasing self-reported brushing in adolescents.

Methods

The study adopted a cluster randomized controlled trial design, and 1158 students in 48 schools were randomized to planning, implementation intention, or active control conditions. After baseline assessment, all participants received a leaflet containing information and recommendations on oral health and instructions on correct brushing behavior. After reading the leaflets, they were provided with a toothbrush and toothpaste plus a calendar in which to record their brushing. Participants in the planning condition and in the implementation intention condition also received instructions to form specific plans regarding brushing behavior. Self-reported brushing, perceived behavioral control, self-monitoring, intention, frequency of planning, oral health-related quality of life, and dental plaque and periodontal status were measured 1 and 6 months later.

Results

Both intervention conditions showed a significant improvement in the frequency of self-reported brushing, self-monitoring, frequency of planning, intention, perceived behavioral control, plaque index, periodontal health, and oral health-related quality of life compared to the control condition at both follow-ups. Comparing the two intervention conditions revealed that adolescents who received the implementation intention intervention had significantly greater improvement in the frequency of self-reported brushing, intention, frequency of planning, and periodontal health than those in planning condition.

Conclusions

Taken together, the findings suggest that forming implementation intentions as well as planning has the potential to increase dental self-reported brushing rates in adolescents, but that forming implementation intentions has the strongest impact on dental hygiene behavior and is, therefore, recommended.

Trial Registration Number

The trial was registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov database (NCT02066987) https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02066987.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the schools, teachers, and children involved in the study. This study was funded by the Qazvin University of medical sciences, via a grant to Amir H Pakpour.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Bahounar BLV, Qazvin, 3419759811, Iran

    Amir H. Pakpour PhD

  2. Department of Psychology, Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Maryam Gholami PhD

  3. Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Paul Gellert PhD

  4. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mir Saeed Yekaninejad PhD

  5. School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Cottrell Building, FK9 4LA, Stirling, UK

    Stephan U. Dombrowski PhD

  6. Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Thomas L. Webb PhD

Authors
  1. Amir H. Pakpour PhD
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  2. Maryam Gholami PhD
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  3. Paul Gellert PhD
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  4. Mir Saeed Yekaninejad PhD
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  5. Stephan U. Dombrowski PhD
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  6. Thomas L. Webb PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amir H. Pakpour PhD.

Ethics declarations

Authors’ Statement of Conflict of Interest and Adherence to Ethical Standards

Amir H. Pakpour, Maryam Gholami, Paul Gellert, Mir Saeed Yekaninejad, Stephan U. Dombrowski, and Thomas L. Webb declare that they have no conflict of interests. All procedures were carried out in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration. The study was approved by both the Ethics Committee of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences and the Organization for Education at Qazvin. All participants and their parents provided informed consent prior to participation, and all information about the participants was kept strictly confidential.

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Pakpour, A.H., Gholami, M., Gellert, P. et al. The Effects of Two Planning Interventions on the Oral Health Behavior of Iranian Adolescents: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. ann. behav. med. 50, 409–418 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9767-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9767-3

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