Psychometric Instruments Assessing Psychological Factors in Adherence to Supportive Periodontal Therapy: A Scoping Review

Maintaining patients in supportive periodontal therapy is a recognized clinical challenge, and although several studies have explored psychological factors related to adherence, the instruments used, the constructs assessed, and the definitions of adherence vary widely. This project is the protocol of a scoping review that aims to map and characterize the available evidence on the psychometric instruments used to assess psychological factors associated with adherence to supportive periodontal therapy in adults. The review follows the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews, with eligibility criteria structured according to the PCC (Population, Concept, Context) framework, and will be reported according to PRISMA-ScR. Two questions guide the review: (1) which psychometric instruments have been used to assess psychological factors associated with adherence to supportive periodontal therapy in adults, and (2) which psychological factors assessed by these instruments have been associated with adherence or non-adherence. Searches will be conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and SciELO, supplemented by reference list screening. Four reviewers will independently screen titles/abstracts and full texts in Rayyan. Two reviewers will independently extract data into separate copies of a standardized Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, and a third reviewer will merge the spreadsheets and resolve remaining discrepancies. The synthesis will be descriptive, with results presented in tables and narrative summaries, and no meta-analysis or formal risk-of-bias assessment is planned. We expect to identify heterogeneous evidence and to clarify the terminology and methods used in this field. The review is also expected to highlight gaps in the literature and to support future research on instruments with potential to identify patients at higher risk of discontinuing supportive periodontal therapy.