Validation of a New Questionnaire for Assessing the Psychosocial Impact of Gingival Aesthetics (PIGAQ).

AIM

While the importance of gingival aesthetics is increasingly recognized, a questionnaire quantifying its psychosocial impact is still lacking. We have adapted the validated Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) for the gingival context. This study's aim was to develop a new Psychosocial Impact of Gingival Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIGAQ) and test its validity for the general population in Spain, exploring the underlying dimensions of the construct assessed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The PIDAQ was adapted to address gingival aesthetics. PIGAQ (23 items) was completed by 200 patients aged from 18 to 85 years, and socio-demographic variables were recorded. The four-dimensional structure of the PIDAQ was respected, adapting the subscales to focus on the gingiva. Descriptive analysis, assessments of reliability and validity and an exploratory factor analysis were performed.

RESULTS

The revised PIGAQ (now containing 20 items) has a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.88 with four underlying factors explaining 61.5% of the total variance. Three items (SI-1, PI-2 and PI-5) were eliminated because of unacceptable fit indices. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the subscales are as follows: Gingival Self-Confidence, 0.85; Social Impact, 0.84; Psychological Impact, 0.79; and Aesthetic Concern, 0.76.

CONCLUSION

PIGAQ is a reliable and potentially valid instrument for assessing psychosocial perceptions of gingival aesthetics. The scale was shown to have a satisfactory factor structure and level of internal consistency.