Influence of Gender, Dispositional Optimism, and Coping Strategies on Appearance-Related Distress Among Swedish Adults With Cleft Lip and Palate

Overview

Journal Cleft Palate Craniofac J

Specialties Dentistry
General Surgery

Date 2021 Jun 17

PMID 34137296

Citations 3

Authors

Anna Paganini

Martin Persson

Hans Mark

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the influence of gender, dispositional optimism, and coping strategies on appearance-related distress among individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).

Design: Cross-sectional design with self-report questionnaires analyzed primarily with Spearman correlations () and multivariate regression analyses.

Setting: A tertiary cleft center in Sweden.

Participants: Eighty individuals with UCLP born 1966 to 1986. The mean age for men (n = 50) and women (n = 30) was 38.8 and 37.4 years, respectively.

Main Outcome Measures: The Derriford Appearance Scale 24 measured appearance-related distress, the Life Orientation Test-Revised, short version measured dispositional optimism and pessimism, and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, short version included 14 coping strategies.

Results: Women had higher appearance-related distress than men, which was significantly ( < .05) related to self-blame ( = 0.59), pessimism ( = 0.59), and low optimism ( = -0.56). Men's appearance-related distress was significantly associated with low active coping ( = 0.35), low use of emotional support ( = 0.29), denial ( = 0.39), behavioral disengagement ( = 0.41), and pessimism ( = 0.28). The only significant gender interaction reflected greater impact of optimism in reducing appearance-related distress for women (β = -0.06).

Conclusions: This study showed that high levels of dispositional optimism decrease appearance-related distress, particularly for women. The coping strategies used differed between men and women, and the results suggest that both gender and psychosocial facto need to be considered in regard to appearance-related distress among individuals with UCLP in both clinical and research settings. A possible way to decrease distress is to strengthen positive coping strategies and dispositional optimism.

Citing Articles

Self-esteem and optimism in patients with major depression disorder: a cross-sectional study.

Yavari S, Radfar M, Faraji N, Goli R, Bagherzadi A, Atharifar R Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023; 85(11):5379-5383.

PMID: 37915636 PMC: 10617889. DOI: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000001263.

Being Normal yet Different: A Qualitative Study on the Dualistic Experience of Living With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

Paganini A, Engstrom M, Mark H, Persson M Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2022; 61(1):52-60.

PMID: 35979595 PMC: 10676618. DOI: 10.1177/10556656221121037.

Life goals and proactive career behaviors: The mediating role of visions about the future and the moderating role of intolerance of uncertainty.

Doganulku H Curr Psychol. 2022; :1-13.

PMID: 35669212 PMC: 9135311. DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03236-2.

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