Social Anxiety in Chinese Adults With Oral-Facial Clefts

OBJECTIVE: This study examined social anxiety and measures of psychosocial adjustment in Chinese adults with oral-facial clefts, their unaffected siblings, and age-matched controls. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study utilized a matched case-control study design. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-five adult cleft lip and cleft palate (CL/CP) subjects and 85 unaffected siblings (one adult sibling of each CL/CP subject) were recruited in Shanghai, China, from a larger CL/CP study. Eighty-five unaffected controls, gender- and age-matched to the CL/CP subjects, were recruited from Shanghai work units including factories, universities, and other institutions. OUTCOME MEASURES: Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List. RESULTS: Affected adults reported significantly more social anxiety than unaffected siblings and controls. Affected adults also scored significantly lower on measures of self-esteem and social support than unaffected siblings and controls. Unaffected siblings and controls were not found to differ on any of these measures. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that individuals with oral-facial clefts may be more disadvantaged with respect to social affiliation and adaptation than unaffected adults. Cross-cultural research is essential in enabling us to determine whether similar trends exist across cultures.