A Relationship between nasolabial appearance and self-esteem in adolescent with repaired cleft lip and cleft palate at Khon Kaen University Cleft Center.

OBJECTIVE: To examine levels of self-esteem of adolescents with repaired cleft lip and cleft palate at Khon Kaen University Cleft Center and its correlation with nasolabial appearance. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Across-sectional survey of 93 adolescents with repaired cleft lip and palate. RESULTS: A total nasolabial appearance score was 2.8 +/- 0.36 (fair to good). The mean of the total self-esteem score for all respondents was 20.11 +/- 3.27 (maximum 30). There was no-significant correlation between nasolabial appearance and self esteem (Pearson product-moment correlation coefficiency (r) = 0.18, p = 0.08. The self-esteem scores of good, fair and poor appearance were 20.5 +/- 0.98, 19.8 +/- 0.32, 19 +/- 2.09 respectively. CONCLUSION: The nasolabial appearance of repaired cleft lip and palate not be the only factor but other psychosocialfactors also may play a role in their self-esteem. The analysis of this study found no relationship between self-esteem and appearance.