Parent reports of the psychosocial functioning of children with cleft lip and/or palate.

Abstract Objectives: (1) to determine the opinion of parents regarding the psychosocial functioning of their child with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP); (2) to identify predictors of psychosocial functioning; and (3) to determine the level of agreement between children with CLP and their parents. Participants: One hundred twenty-nine parents of children with CLP and 96 parents of children without CLP participated in this cross-sectional study. Outcome measures: Parental opinion of the child's self-esteem, anxiety, happiness, and problems caused by facial appearance were assessed using visual analogue scales. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist and were interviewed. Results: Children with CLP were more anxious (p < 0.05), less happy with their appearance (p < 0.001), and in general (p < 0.05) had lower self-esteem (p < 0.05) and greater behavioral problems (p < 0.001) compared with non-CLP children. Parents reported that their child with CLP was teased more often (p < 0.001) and was less satisfied...