Validation of the Brief Oral Health Habits Scale in Children from Cuenca

Oral health in childhood is essential to prevent future dental problems. Accurately assessing oral health habits requires valid and reliable instruments. Objective: To analyze the reliability and validity of the Brief Oral Health Habits Scale in children from the city of Cuenca. Methodology: An initial 15-item scale was administered to 105 children aged 7 to 12 years (M = 8.9; SD = 1.3); 49 were boys (46.7%) and 56 were girls (53.3%). The sample included 42 participants from rural areas (40%) and 63 from urban areas (60%). An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using maximum likelihood estimation and varimax rotation, followed by a confirmatory factor analysis evaluating CFI, TLI, and SRMR indices. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega, and convergent validity with AVE. Results: The exploratory factor analysis identified a unidimensional factor and reduced the scale to four key items. The confirmatory factor analysis showed good fit indices (CFI = .973; TLI = .919; SRMR = .051). Internal consistency was acceptable (α = .70; ω = .70) and AVE reached 0.40. Item correlations ranged from r = 0.246 to r = 0.578 (p < .05 to p < .001). Boys showed slightly higher means across all key items. Conclusion: The Brief Oral Health Habits Scale demonstrated adequate psychometric properties, proving to be valid and reliable for assessing oral health habits in children aged 7 to 12 years. It is a useful tool for educational and community settings.