Development and validation of a classification of parental mentality in pediatric dentistry

Abstract

Aim newlineTo classify parents of pediatric dental patients based on their attitude and newlinementality towards pediatric dentistry. newlineMaterials and Methods newlineA questionnaire to evaluate the psychology of parents approaching pediatric newlinedentistry was formulated and validated by a pilot study from which the sample newlinesize calculation was done. From the sample size calculation, it was inferred that newline51 patient-parent pairs were required for the main study. A total of 60 participants newlinewere included in this study. The parents were given a score or classified into one newlineof the five suspected classes - Ivan s Classification of parental mentality (ICPM) newlineby five examiners during the initial discussion which included diagnosis and newlinetreatment planning. Once the examiner could read the mentality of the parent and newlinecould assign them to a class, the questionnaire was introduced. Based on their newlineresponses, the validity of their assigned class was tested statistically. newlineResults newlineOut of the 60 participants, 25% were denoted as Class I (Indulgent), 33.3% were newlinecategorized as Class II (Irresolute), 15% were Class III (Importunate), 15% were newlineClass IV (Inapt) and 11.7% were Class V (Insolent). The reliability of the newlineclassification in between the examiners were determined by Kappa scores (0.738 newline- 0.956) . And the correlation between the assumed class and the actual class of newlinementality derived from the responses were determined by Spearman s rho newlinecorrelation coefficient which was 0.827 (plt0.05). newlineConclusion newlineIvan s Classification of parental mentality can be used as an effective tool in newlinepediatric dentistry to classify the parents based on their mentality and behavior in newlinea dental setting. This will help pediatric dentists to prepare mentally towards each newlineclass of parent and render dental care efficiently to their children. newline