Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the shorter form of the gagging problem assessment questionnaire

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the shorter form of the gagging problem assessment questionnaire. Forty-three patients with gagging problems and 89 patients who showed no signs of gagging during dental examination were included in the study. The patients completed the patient portion of the gagging problem assessment questionnaire, as well as the modified dental anxiety scale, dental fear scale and Spielberger trait anxiety scale for comparison. Two experienced dentists subsequently completed the dentist portion of the gagging problem assessment questionnaire by performing clinical examinations with a dental mirror. The results indicate that patients with gagging problems had significantly higher mean scores than the control group (P < 0.001). The internal consistency of the questionnaire was found to be adequate, and good intra- and inter-observer reliability was present. Patients with a gagging reflex had significantly higher anxiety scores, indicating the validity of the questionnaire. The Turkish translation of the shorter form of the gagging problem assessment questionnaire was found to be reliable and valid for distinguishing among patients with and without a gagging reflex.