Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Jan;54(1):2-12.
doi: 10.1597/15-167. Epub 2016 Jan 11.

Body Image and Quality of Life in Adolescents With Craniofacial Conditions

Canice E Crerand, David B Sarwer, Anne E Kazak, Alexandra Clarke, Nichola Rumsey

Body Image and Quality of Life in Adolescents With Craniofacial Conditions

Canice E Crerand et al. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate body image in adolescents with and without craniofacial conditions and to examine relationships between body image and quality of life.

Design: Case-control design.

Setting: A pediatric hospital's craniofacial center and primary care practices.

Participants: Seventy adolescents with visible craniofacial conditions and a demographically matched sample of 42 adolescents without craniofacial conditions.

Main outcome measure: Adolescents completed measures of quality of life and body image including satisfaction with weight, facial and overall appearance, investment in appearance (importance of appearance to self-worth), and body image disturbance (appearance-related distress and impairment in functioning).

Results: Adolescents with craniofacial conditions reported lower appearance investment (P < .001) and were more likely to report concerns about facial features (P < .02) compared with nonaffected youth. Females in both groups reported greater investment in appearance, greater body image disturbance, and lower weight satisfaction compared with males (P < .01). Within both groups, greater body image disturbance was associated with lower quality of life (P < .01). The two groups did not differ significantly on measures of quality of life, body image disturbance, or satisfaction with appearance.

Conclusions: Body image and quality of life in adolescents with craniofacial conditions are similar to nonaffected youth. Relationships between body image and quality of life emphasize that appearance perceptions are important to adolescents' well-being regardless of whether they have a facial disfigurement. Investment in one's appearance may explain variations in body image satisfaction and serve as an intervention target, particularly for females.

Keywords: adolescents; appearance investment; body image; craniofacial conditions; quality of life.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Antonarakis GS, Patel RN, Tompson B. Oral health-related quality of life in non-syndromic cleft lip and/or palate patients: A systematic review. Community Dent Health. 2013;30(3):189–195. - PubMed
    1. Asuman Kiyak H, Hohl T, West RA, McNeill RW. Psychologic changes in orthognathic surgery patients: A 24-month follow up. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1984;42:506–512. - PubMed
    1. Auerbach JD, Lonner BS, Crerand CE, Shah SA, Flynn JM, Bastrom T, Penn P, Ahn J, Toombs C, Bharucha N, et al. Body image in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: Validation of the Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire–Scoliosis Version. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2014;96(8):e61. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Baker SR, Owens J, Stern M, Willmot D. Coping strategies and social support in the family impact of cleft lip and palate and parents’ adjustment and psychological distress. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2009;46(3):229–236. - PubMed
    1. Berger ZE, Dalton LJ. Coping with a cleft II: Factors associated with psychosocial adjustment of adolescents with a cleft lip and palate and their parents. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2011;48(1):82–90. - PubMed