Development and psychometric validation of the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults

Objective The aim of this study was to develop and validate a culturally adapted Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults.Method The short-form PIDAQ was culturally adapted and administered to 187 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. Network psychometric analyses examined dimensionality, item redundancy, network loadings, and model fit. Additionally, internal consistency (McDonald’s Ω), construct validity, and criterion validity were also measured.Results Two statistically redundant but conceptually distinct item pairs (Look/Nice and Proud/Show) were retained on cultural and content-validity grounds. The “Worry” item was removed for a low network loading (0.169), yielding a final seven-item PIDAQ. Model fit was good (χ2(4) = 6.26, p < 0.180; CFI = 1.000; RMSEA = 0.059, 90% CI: 0.000–0.140). Internal consistency was excellent (Ω=0.94), inter-item correlations were moderate to adequate (ρ= 0.520–0.790), and the correlation with the SEWB scale provided directionally consistent support for criterion validity (ρ=0.320). Participants reported mixed feelings about dental aesthetics, often not minding showing their teeth in photographs yet being dissatisfied with how their teeth look.Conclusions The PIDAQ demonstrated strong psychometric properties, making it a valid, reliable tool for assessing the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics.