Tang, Xia, Qian Tong, Zhujun Li, Zhiyi Chen, Mengjia Weng, Xiaoyu Zhang, Sijing Huang, Yang Chen, Zhenqi Chen (2019, December). Difference and commonness among CLP, NON-CLP patients and their parents seeking for orthodontic treatment: A questionnaire applying Q methodology to investigate motives. Patient Preference and Adherence, 13, 2047–2060. (Link: https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S224254)

Abstract: Purpose: Based on Q methodology, this study investigated the motivation of orthodontic treatment for patients and their parents. Through investigation, this paper attempts to explore the motivational factors of CLP and NON-CLP children and their parents, which are different or general. Patients and methods: Q methodology involves 4 phases. (1) Interviews of CLP (N=5), NON-CLP (N=5) patients generated 30 statements (Q-set 1) and CLP (N=5), NON-CLP (N=5) patients’ parents produced 36 statements (Q-set 2) about different reasons to pursue orthodontic care. (2) P-set: recruitment participants. The sample comprised 40 CLP patients (G1) and 40 NON-CLP patients (G2) aged 9–16 years, 40 CLP patients’ parents (G3) and 40 NON-CLP patients’ parents (G4) wanting their children to have orthodontic treatment. (3) Q-sort: 4 groups ranked statements in order of comparative significance using enforced distribution grids (G1, G2 ranked Q-set 1; G3, G4 ranked Q-set 2). (4) Analysis: using the PQMethod 2.35 version to analyze data. Results: Three factors in each group were identified as representing the most widespread views of the majority of the participants, described as G1: (1) aesthetics, (2) preparation for other oral treatments, (3) timely. G2: (1) admiration of others, aesthetics, (2) oral function, (3) oral hygiene and improvement of smile. G3: (1) worrying about the future of children, parents’ responsibilities, children’s feelings; (2) mental health, timely; (3) parents’ responsibilities, ready for treatment. G4: (1) aesthetics, children’s will; (2) future problems, timely; (3) timely, parents’ responsibility and no need to worry about physical problems. Conclusion: CLP and NON-CLP patients and parents have different orthodontic treatment motives, yet, they still shared 3 global motivation themes, respectively. Consideration of these motives may help clinicians develop their treatment discussions with patients and parents, which could consequently improve their cooperation and may achieve a more satisfactory outcome.

Zhenqi Chen <orthochen@yeah.net> and <whitesurgeon@163.com> is in the Yang Chen Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.