Exploring the role of non-formal training in an international youth mobility on young adult’s perception of appearance and dental aesthetics
摘要
Dental aesthetic concerns in young adults are shaped by sociocultural appearance pressures and media-derived ideals, yet education-based interventions targeting these upstream determinants have received limited attention in dentistry. This exploratory study examined whether a brief non-formal educational programme delivered within an Erasmus+ youth mobility context was associated with short-term changes in sociocultural appearance attitudes and the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics.
MethodsA single-group, quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used. Thirty-four young adults (aged 18–30; 23 from Türkiye, 11 from France) completed the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4) and the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) immediately before (T0) and immediately after (T1) a five-day programme integrating media literacy, body-positivity activities, and oral health education. Pre–post differences were tested using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with Holm adjustment, with rank-biserial correlations as effect sizes. Internal consistency was estimated using Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω. Reporting followed the TREND and TIDieR guidelines.
ResultsFrom T0 to T1, SATAQ-4 total scores decreased (r_rb = − 0.782, 95% CI [− 0.956, − 0.536]) and PIDAQ total scores decreased (r_rb = − 0.655, 95% CI [− 0.882, − 0.345]). All subscales showed changes in the direction anticipated by the study hypothesis, with reductions in negative PIDAQ domains and an increase in Dental Self-Confidence. All comparisons remained significant after Holm adjustment (p_Holm ≤ 0.008). Internal consistency was generally high, except for the SATAQ-4 Thin/Low Body Fat subscale at T1 (α = 0.62).
ConclusionsParticipation in the programme was associated with short-term shifts in self-reported appearance attitudes and dental-aesthetic outcomes. Findings should be considered preliminary and hypothesis-generating; the absence of a control group, immediate post-test timing, and use of self-report measures preclude causal inference. Controlled designs with longer-term follow-up are needed.