Table 1 Constructs and sample items
Constructs (number of items) Sample item Possible score
range
Cronbach’s alpha
coefficient*
Perceived susceptibility (3) Only when I am young my teeth would be healthy. 3-15 0.77
Perceived subjective severity (3) Tooth decay will cause me bad breath smell. 3-15 0.76
Perceived objective severity (4) Tooth decay will make me look bad when I am
laughing.
4-20 0.81
Perceived benefits (3) Brushing my teeth can prevent tooth decay. 3-15 0.71
Perceived psychological barriers (5) When I am tired I do not brush my teeth. 5-25 0.85
Perceived physical barriers (2) My gums will bleed when I brush my teeth. 2-10 0.76
Self-efficacy (5) I am confident that I can brush my teeth
even when I am tired.
5-25 0.86
* Values equal or grate than 0.7 are considered satisfactory.