The theory of reasoned action and patient compliance during orthodontic treatment

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of the theory of reasoned action (TRA) for the prediction and understanding of patients' intention to comply during orthodontic treatment and to analyze the effect of two additional variables in the model, namely perceived behavioral control and anticipated regret. Moreover, (the determinants of) intentions of orthodontic patients to comply during treatment were compared with (the determinants of) intentions of parents to stimulate this cooperation. Methods: A questionnaire was handed out to patients and parents visiting the Department of Orthodontics of the Academic Centre of Dentistry in Amsterdam. In both the patient and parent sample, independent-sample t-tests, correlation analyses and stepwise regression analyses were conducted. Variables in both samples were compared and tested. Results: The extended version of the TRA explained 20% of the variance in the patients' intention to comply. The patients' anticipated regret, attitude and motivation to comply were significant determinants of the patients' intention to comply. In addition, the parents' attitude toward compliance was a significant predictor. The role of parents in enhancing patients' intentions to comply cannot be neglected. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that patients' intentions to comply during orthodontic treatment are influenced by factors outside of the TRA. Therefore, it is recommended to develop a new model, in which factors of the TRA are included, which can be used specifically for the study of compliance in orthodontics.