An innovative psychoeducational method & ECC prevention

描述（由申请人提供）：在儿童早期龋齿（ECC）方面存在着深刻的差异，因此少数民族和低收入家庭的儿童承受着不成比例的疾病负担。许多作者推荐教育干预作为预防ECC的一种手段。然而，这些先前的干预措施只是适度有效，牙科文献仍然缺乏使用心理和行为策略的更全面的预防方法。因此，本研究的目的是探索一种创新的心理教育干预方法，作为参加WIC补充营养计划的低收入幼儿的ECC预防方法。自我决定理论将为心理教育干预提供理论支持，通过人的三种内在心理需求：自主性、能力和相关性来促进动机。具体而言，本研究将测试一种预防龋病的心理教育干预措施，并收集在WIC注册的低收入幼儿的各种龋病风险试点数据。在这一人群中收集试点数据将使我们的研究团队和其他人能够(1)检查暴露于自主支持信息的母亲是否会在自我报告的知识、行为意图和随后的有关孩子口腔健康的行为方面表现出变化，以及(2)确定他们的孩子在多大程度上呈现出积极的口腔健康结果，例如低水平的变形链球菌、门牙菌斑和龋齿。我们将收集龋齿发生率、儿童饮食和口腔卫生习惯、氟化物暴露、母婴唾液传播、母亲自述的有关儿童口腔健康的知识、行为意图和后续行为等方面的数据。根据这项试点研究的数据，研究人员将能够评估这种创新干预对高ecc风险儿童母亲的影响。如果成功，这种心理教育干预措施的广泛应用将对减少口腔健康差距的努力产生深远的影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There are profound disparities in Early Childhood Caries (ECC) experiences such that children from minority and low-income families suffer a disproportionate share of the disease burden. Many authors recommend educational interventions as one mean of preventing ECC. However, such previous interventions have been only moderately effective and the dental literature still lacks more comprehensive preventive approaches using psychological and behavioral strategies. Thus, the goal of this proposed study is to explore an innovative psychoeducational intervention as a preventive approach for ECC in low-income toddlers enrolled in the WIC supplemental nutritional program. Self-Determination Theory will provide the theoretical support for the psychoeducational intervention to facilitate motivation through people's three innate psychological needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness. Specifically, the study will test a psychoeducational intervention for the prevention of ECC, as well as gather a variety of caries risk pilot data from low-income toddlers enrolled at WIC. Collection of pilot data in this population will allow our research team and others to (1) to examine whether mothers exposed to an autonomy-supportive message will demonstrate changes in self-reported knowledge, behavioral intent and subsequent behavior concerning their child's oral health, and (2) to determine the extent to which their child will present with positive oral health outcomes, such as low levels of Streptococcus mutans, incisor plaque and dental caries. We will collect data on caries occurrence, children's dietary and oral hygiene habits, fluoride exposures, saliva transmission from mother to child, and mothers' self-reported knowledge, behavioral intent, and subsequent behavior concerning their child's oral health. With data from this pilot study, investigators will be able to assess the impact of this innovative intervention on mothers of high-ECC risk children. If successful, widespread use of this psychoeducational intervention could have a profound impact in efforts to reduce oral health disparities.