Parenting Children With a Cleft Lip With or Without Palate or a Visible Infantile Hemangioma: A Cross-Sectional Study of Distress and Parenting Stress. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: van Dalen, M.; Leemreis, W.H.; Kraaij, V.; De Laat, P.C.J.; Pasmans, S.G.M.A.; Versnel, S.L.; Koudstaal, M.J.; Hillegers, M.H.J.; Utens, E.M.W.J.; Okkerse, J.M.E.
• Is Part Of: Cleft palate-craniofacial journal. Volume 58:Number 12(2021)
• Page Start: 1536
• Page End: 1546
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: psychological stress -- parents -- cleft lip -- infantile hemangioma; Cleft palate -- Periodicals; Skull -- Abnormalities -- Periodicals; Cranial manipulation -- Periodicals; Skull -- Abnormalities -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Face -- Abnormalities -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Fente palatine -- Périodiques; Crâne -- Malformations -- Périodiques; Manipulation crânienne -- Périodiques; Crâne -- Malformations -- Chirurgie -- Périodiques; Face -- Malformations -- Chirurgie -- Périodiques; Cleft palate; Cranial manipulation; Face -- Abnormalities -- Surgery; Skull -- Abnormalities; Skull -- Abnormalities -- Surgery; Cleft Lip; Cleft Palate; Facial Bones -- abnormalities; Skull -- abnormalities; Periodicals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 617.522
• DOI: 10.1177/1055665621993298
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1055-6656

Abstract

Objective: Parents of children with a medical condition and a visible difference can experience challenging situations. We evaluated distress and parenting stress in parents of children with a cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL±P) or a visible infantile hemangioma (IH). Setting: This cross-sectional study took place in an academic medical hospital in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Participants: Three-hundred nine parents (mean age = 40.30, 56.00% mothers) of children with CL±P and 91 parents (mean age = 36.40, 58.24% mothers) of children with IH. Main Outcome Measures: The Dutch version of the Parenting Stress Index – Short Form and the subscales Anxiety, Depression, and Hostility of the Symptom Checklist – 90. Results: One sample t tests and mixed linear modeling were used. On average, parents of children with CL±P and of children with IH showed significantly lower parenting stress compared to normative data. Anxiety was significantly lower in parents of children with CL±P than that in the norm group. Visibility of the condition was not related to distress or parenting stress. Child behavioral problems were positively related to parenting stress, depression, and hostility. Conclusions: Parents of children with CL±P and IH report less distress and parenting stress compared to the norm. On average, these parents seem well adjusted. A practical implication is to monitor parents of children with behavioral problems.