Assessment of Psychosocial Risk in Families of Children With Craniofacial Conditions Using the Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Craniofacial Version

Objectives: Using the Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Craniofacial Version (PAT-CV), this study measured variation in psychosocial risk in families of children with craniofacial conditions by demographic and clinical characteristics, frequency of condition-related problems, concordance between caregivers' report of risk, and association between risk level and psychosocial service utilization.

Design: Caregivers (n = 242) of 217 children with craniofacial conditions completed the PAT-CV, a psychosocial risk screener. Medical records were also abstracted.

Results: The PAT-CV scores varied significantly by insurance type and syndromic versus nonsyndromic diagnosis type. Language problems were most commonly reported on the Craniofacial Problems subscale, though 13% to 56% of parents endorsed specific problems. Mothers and fathers reported similar risk levels. Families with past social work or behavioral health consults had higher PAT-CV scores than those without consultations.

Conclusion: The PAT-CV efficiently screens for psychosocial risk and craniofacial-specific problems. This tool may help clinicians identify families in need of intervention.