Psychosocial outcomes among microtia patients of different ages and genders before ear reconstruction

Abstract

Background: Abundant literature examining the psychosocial morbidity and consequences of microtia patients before and after ear surgery can be found. However, few data have focused on the psychosocial changes of microtia patients in different age and gender groups. This study aimed to investigate the psychosocial discrepancies of microtia patients among different age and gender groups before surgery and the psychosocial consequences of their parents.

Methods: For this study, 170 microtia patients and a control group of 264 gender- and age-matched people from the general population were evaluated for psychosocial changes using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSS), and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Additionally, 91 parents of the microtia patients and their matched control subjects were involved in this study.

Results: The statistical results showed that aggression and social problems were significantly higher among 8- to 10-year-old and 14- to 16-year-old boys with microtia and that interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and hostility were significantly higher among male patients 17 years of age and older. Male patients 14 to 16 years of age and female patients 11 to 13 years of age had significantly less gregariousness. Depression was significantly higher among female patients 17 years of age and older. Interpersonal sensitivity, depression, and anxiety were significantly higher among the mothers of microtia patients.

Conclusions: Boys with microtia faced more psychological problems than girls. Their mental disorders apparently increased when they reached adulthood. The mothers of microtia patients endured more mental problems. Thus, this study provided a better understanding of the psychosocial morbidity experienced by microtia patients and their parents.