Heverin, Andrea;
(1997)
Parental adjustment to the birth of a child with cleft lip and palate: The role of prenatal diagnosis.
Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy.), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
This study aimed to explore parents' experience of the birth of a child with cleft lip and palate, and more specifically, to investigate the impact of prenatal diagnosis of cleft lip and palate on parents' adjustment to the birth of their baby. It was hypothesised that detection of cleft during pregnancy would be associated with successful parental adjustment, following the birth of a child with cleft lip and palate. Adjustment was assessed using three measures: the Reaction to Diagnosis Interview (Pianta and Marvin, 1992), which evaluates parental resolution of grief and trauma associated with the diagnosis of a child's disability; the Indicators of Parental Adjustment to the Birth of a Child with a Congenital Disfigurement (Bradbury and Hewison, 1994); and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Two groups of mothers participated in the study: 20 mothers who had received a prenatal diagnosis of cleft lip and palate, and 24 mothers for whom the diagnosis was given at birth. Comparisons were made on levels of adjustment found in the two groups. Statistical analysis of the interview and questionnaire data obtained, indicated that prenatal detection of cleft lip and palate was associated with more successful adjustment, and more specifically, was related to parental resolution of the trauma and grief following the birth of a child with cleft. Furthermore, results indicated that certain stressors experienced by mothers during the perinatal period were also related to parental adjustment. Possible explanations for the results are discussed, and the theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are explored.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | D.Clin.Psy. |
| Title: | Parental adjustment to the birth of a child with cleft lip and palate: The role of prenatal diagnosis |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Thesis digitised by ProQuest. |
| Keywords: | Health and environmental sciences; Cleft lip and palate; Prenatal diagnosis |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10103743 |
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