Evaluation of Behaviour Change Training for Paediatric Doctoral Students

Abstract

Introduction: Dental caries is one of the main concerns in children in the UK, leading to pain and oral infection. However, it can be prevented by home measures (toothbrushing and reducing sugary intake). Parents may struggle to implement these behaviours for various reasons. Thus, dentists are required to support children’s parents in overcoming these challenges using behaviour change conversations. Aim: To evaluate the impact of behaviour change conversation training among postgraduate paediatric dentistry students at the University of Leeds. Methods: All postgraduate Paediatric dentistry students attending the University of Leeds were invited to participate. Following consent, they undertook a baseline simulated behaviour change conversation with a parent of a young child. The conversation topic was randomised to focus on either toothbrushing or diet with an actor playing the role of the parent. Students then attended a full-day course on behaviour change. Following this, the students undertook a second conversation on the alternate topic. Conversations were video-recorded and assessed using the Behaviour Change Counselling Index (BECCI) and the Gap-Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Form (GKCSAF), supplemented by the actor's evaluations (questionnaire). Re-evaluations were conducted after three weeks to examine reproducibility. Statistical analyses (Descriptive statistics including mean, median, standard deviation and dependent Paired Sample t-Test) and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) were performed using SPSS29. Results: Sixteen students participated, including 10 females and 6 males, with an average age of 29.8 years and 5.3 years of dental experience. BECCI scores significantly increased from baseline, mean of 0.54 (SD 0.27), to 1.30 (SD 0.58) post-training. Similarly, GKCSAF scores increased from 2.42 (SD 0.80) to 3.64 (SD 0.95). Actor evaluations also improved from a mean of 3.23 (SD 0.76) to 4.25 (SD 0.76) post-training. ICC results indicated excellent intra-rater reliability for BECCI (0.997) and KGCSAF (0.986). Conclusion: Behaviour change conversations are a key skill for paediatric dentists. The training significantly enhanced the quality of behaviour change conversations and communication skills. This study supports the inclusion of this training module within a paediatric doctoral student training programme.