title: Psychological adjustment to cleft lip and/or palate: A narrative review of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adjustment to cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) is multifaceted, involving several domains of psychological and social functioning. A substantial increase in research in this area has been evident in recent years, along with a preliminary shift in how adjustment to CL/P is conceptualised and measured. An updated and comprehensive review of the literature is needed in light of the rapidly expanding and changing field.
  
  
  METHODS
  A narrative review of 148 quantitative and qualitative studies published between January 2004 and July 2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  Findings are presented according to five key domains of adjustment: Developmental Trajectory, Behaviour, Emotional Well-being, Social Experiences and Satisfaction with Appearance and Treatment. Data pertaining to General Psychological Well-being were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall impact of CL/P on psychological adjustment appears to be low. Nonetheless, the review demonstrates the complexity of findings both within and across domains, and highlights recurring methodological challenges.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Research findings from the last decade are considered to be largely inconclusive, although some areas of emerging consensus and improvements in the approaches used were identified. Efforts to collect data from large, representative and longitudinal samples, which are comparable across studies and encompassing of the patient perspective, should be doubled.
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Appearance Research , University of the West of England , Bristol , UK.
authors.forename: Nicola Marie
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Stock
authors.affiliation: b Senter for sjeldne diagnoser (Centre for Rare Disorders) , Oslo Universitetssykehus HF , Oslo , Norway.
authors.forename: Kristin Billaud
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Feragen
mesh_terms: D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000523:psychology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000523:psychology*; D000066498:Emotional Adjustment; D006801:Humans; D033262:Narration
keywords: behaviour; cleft lip and palate; development; emotional; quality of life; social; treatment