Assessment of Psychosocial Functioning among Patients with Cleft Lip/Palate and Their Mothers

Abstract

The psychosocial functioning of children and adolescents with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and their mothers was evaluated using a cross-sectional survey. The quality of life, depression, and self-esteem questionnaires were administered to CL/P patients and their mothers. The study included 69 individuals with CL/P between the ages of 6 and 18 and their mothers. According to the patient’s age, CL/P patients and their mothers were divided into two groups: the infant group (6–12 years) and the adolescent group (13–18 years). Patients and mothers were requested to complete the questionnaires about life quality, self-esteem, and depression. According to the norm values of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Scale, both child and adolescent groups have low self-esteem. However, adolescents’ self-esteem levels were substantially lower than those of children (p < 0.05). There were no significant disparities between mothers of children and adolescents in terms of quality of life and self-esteem. The Beck depression scale scores of mothers of children were found to be greater than those of pubescent mothers (p < 0.05). Patients with CL/P tend to have lower self-esteem as they age; adolescents tend to have lower self-esteem than toddlers. In contrast, mothers of children with CL/P are less susceptible to melancholy than mothers of children.