title: Coping strategies and social support in the family impact of cleft lip and palate and parents' adjustment and psychological distress.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the role of parents' coping strategies and social support in the family impact of cleft lip and palate (CLP) and levels of adjustment and psychological distress and to investigate whether a child's age, type of cleft, or other reported medical problems influenced such outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred three parents of children or young adults with CLP recruited from families attending a multidisciplinary cleft lip and palate clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Family impact, psychological distress, and positive adjustment were assessed using validated psychological questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings indicated that while there were many impacts of a child's CLP, negative outcomes (family impact, psychological distress) were not high. In contrast, parents reported high levels of positive adjustment or stress-related growth as a result of their child's condition. Participants also reported high levels of social support and relied more on the use of approach rather than avoidance-oriented coping strategies. Having more support from friends and family was associated with less negative family impact, lower psychological distress, and better adjustment. Greater use of approach coping was associated with more positive adjustment; whereas, avoidant coping was associated with a greater family impact and more psychological distress. Having a younger child and/or a child with medical problems in addition to CLP was associated with a greater impact on the family.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  How parents cope with their child's condition and the levels of support received may have implications for caregivers, the family unit, and the delivery of more family-oriented CLP services.
authors: Department of Oral Health and Development, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, UK. s.r.baker@sheffield.ac.uk
authors: Sarah R
authors: SR
authors: Baker
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Owens
authors: Melanie
authors: M
authors: Stern
authors: Derrick
authors: D
authors: Willmot
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004194:Disease; D054541:Family Conflict; D005192:Family Health; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*