engleski

Mediation and moderation effect of the big five personality traits on the relationship between self-perceived malocclusion and psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics

AIM: With the relation of self-perceived malocclusion and psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics already been demonstrated, our aim was to explore the mediating and moderating effects of big five personality traits on the relationship. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study was cross- sectional on a convenient sample that consisted of 252 subjects (62% female) aged 12-39 (median 20, interquartile range 16- 22 years). Subjects had permanent dentition and were pupils, students and patients of the University Dental Clinic in Rijeka, Croatia. Self-perceived malocclusion was estimated using the 10-point scale Aesthetic Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (1=no malocclusion, 10= the most severe malocclusion). Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire and Big Five Inventory were used to assess psychological impact and personality traits. Moderation and mediation effect of personality traits were evaluated with Pearson correlations and stepwise regression analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Self- perceived malocclusion ranged 1-8 and was the most significant predictor of psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics, whose unique contribution accounted for 11-36.4% variability, while age and gender account for 1.2-2.5% variability. Personality traits have no mediating effect on this relationship. Moderating effect of agreeableness was present on relationship between self-perceived degree of malocclusion and social impact (SI), psychological impact (PI) and aesthetic concern (ΔR2=0.035, 0.020 and 0.013 ; p<0.001) while conscientiousness affected the relationship between perception of malocclusion and SI and PI (ΔR2=0.018 and 0.016 ; p<0.05). Extraversion, neuroticism and openness do not have mediating effect. CONCLUSION: High agreeableness and conscientiousness may make patients prone to dissatisfaction with dental aesthetics and potentially more critical about treatment results.

mediation; moderation; personality traits; malocclusion; aesthetics

Rad je dio projekta 13.06.2.1.53 (voditelj Stjepan Špalj) koji financira Sveučilište u Rijeci.