| Summary: |
The aims of this study were to estimate the reliability and
validity of the Dental Indifference Scale (DIS) (Nuttall, 1996) in a population of 18-
yr-olds in Norway. Methods: The DIS-scale was mailed to a sample of 1119 18-yrolds
in two Norwegian counties. Nearly 87% completed the questionnaire and
consented to the collection of data from their dental records. Ten percent of the
sample, drawn at random, was asked to complete the questionnaire a second time,
after a time delay of 15 weeks (response rate 83%). The reliability estimation of
the sum-scores of DIS was based on Pearson’s correlation between test-retest scores
and internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha). The frequency of missed appointments
from age 12, recorded in the dental treatment records, was used as the
validating criterion.
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