Validation of a New Questionnaire for Assessing the Psychosocial Impact of Gingival Aesthetics (PIGAQ)

Aim: While the importance of gingival aesthetics is increasingly recognized, a questionnaire quantifying its psychosocial impact is still lacking. We have adapted the validated Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) for the gingival context. This study's aim was to develop a new Psychosocial Impact of Gingival Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIGAQ) and test its validity for the general population in Spain, exploring the underlying dimensions of the construct assessed.

Materials and methods: The PIDAQ was adapted to address gingival aesthetics. PIGAQ (23 items) was completed by 200 patients aged from 18 to 85 years, and socio-demographic variables were recorded. The four-dimensional structure of the PIDAQ was respected, adapting the subscales to focus on the gingiva. Descriptive analysis, assessments of reliability and validity and an exploratory factor analysis were performed.

Results: The revised PIGAQ (now containing 20 items) has a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.88 with four underlying factors explaining 61.5% of the total variance. Three items (SI-1, PI-2 and PI-5) were eliminated because of unacceptable fit indices. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the subscales are as follows: Gingival Self-Confidence, 0.85; Social Impact, 0.84; Psychological Impact, 0.79; and Aesthetic Concern, 0.76.

Conclusion: PIGAQ is a reliable and potentially valid instrument for assessing psychosocial perceptions of gingival aesthetics. The scale was shown to have a satisfactory factor structure and level of internal consistency.