title: The Effects of Two Planning Interventions on the Oral Health Behavior of Iranian Adolescents: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  
  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.
  
  
  
  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.
  
  
  
  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.
  
  
  
  The trial was registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov database (NCT02066987) https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02066987 .
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Bahounar BLV, Qazvin, 3419759811, Iran. Pakpour_Amir@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Amir H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Pakpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gholami
authors.affiliation: Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gellert
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mir Saeed
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yekaninejad
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Cottrell Building, FK9 4LA, Stirling, UK.
authors.forename: Stephan U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Dombrowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D057566:Self Report; D014099:Toothbrushing
keywords: Adolescents; Oral health; Planning; Volitional intervention