title: Testing five social-cognitive models to explain predictors of personal oral health behaviours and intention to improve them.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the ability of several social-cognitive models to explain current behaviour and to predict intentions to engage in three different health behaviours (toothbrushing, flossing and mouthrinsing).
  
  
  METHODS
  Constructs from the health belief model (HBM), theory of reasoned action (TRA), theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the motivational process of the health action process approach (HAPA) were measured simultaneously in an undergraduate student sample of 172 first-year medical students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regarding toothbrushing, the TRA, TPB, HBM (without the inclusion of self-efficacy SE), HBM+SE and HAPA predictor models explained 7.4%, 22.7%, 10%, 10.2% and 10.1%, respectively, of the variance in behaviour and 7.5%, 25.6%, 12.1%, 17.5% and 17.2%, respectively, in intention. Regarding dental flossing, the TRA, TPB, HBM, HBM+SE and HAPA predictor models explained 39%, 50.6, 24.1%, 25.4% and 27.7%, respectively, of the variance in behaviour and 39.4%, 52.7%, 33.7%, 35.9% and 43.2%, respectively, in intention. Regarding mouthrinsing, the TRA, TPB, HBM, HBM+SE and HAPA predictor models explained 43.9%, 45.1%, 20%, 29% and 36%, respectively, of the variance in behaviour and 58%, 59.3%, 49.2%, 59.8% and 66.2%, respectively, in intention. The individual significant predictors for current behaviour were attitudes, barriers and outcome expectancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings revealed that the theory of planned behaviours and the health action process approach were the best predictor of intentions to engage in both behaviours.
authors.forename: Alexandrina L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Dumitrescu
authors.forename: Beatrice C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Dogaru
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duta
authors.forename: Bogdan N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Manolescu
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009909:Oral Health; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D014099:Toothbrushing; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009067:Mouthwashes