Quality of Life for Children with Cleft Lip and Palate and Their Families: The Effect of Adoption from China

Kathleen A Kapp-Simon; Meredith Albert; Canice E Crerand; Claudia Crilly Bellucci; Celia E Heppner; Suzanne Woodard; Amy L Conrad

doi:10.1177/10556656261462270

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Quality of Life for Children with Cleft Lip and Palate and Their Families: The Effect of Adoption from China

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Quality of Life for Children with Cleft Lip and Palate and Their Families: The Effect of Adoption from China

Kathleen A Kapp-Simon, Meredith Albert, Canice E Crerand, Claudia Crilly Bellucci, Celia E Heppner, Suzanne Woodard and Amy L Conrad

The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal

06/30/2026

DOI: 10.1177/10556656261462270

PMID: 42377082

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Abstract

ObjectiveTo compare parent-proxy and child self-reported quality of life (QoL) for children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) by adoptive status from China.DesignObservational multi-site study.SettingSix North American cleft treatment clinics.ParticipantsChildren with CLP ages 8.0-10.99 years and their parents (adopted from China, N = 87; not adopted, N = 167).Outcome MeasuresPediatric QoL Inventories (PedsQL): Parent, Child, Family Impact Module (FIM); CLEFT-Q.ResultsMultivariate analyses of covariance, adjusted for age, race, and socioeconomic status main effects (adoptive status, sex, and interactions of adoptive status with sex) and results were not significant by adoptive status, sex, or the interactions of adoptive status with sex for CLEFT-Q, Parent PedsQL FIM outcomes, or Parent/Child PedsQL subscale outcomes ( > .159). Parent-proxy PedsQL School was higher for females regardless of adoptive status (MD = -4.82, CI = -9.53, -.11, = .045). Child PedsQL Social QoL was higher for children adopted from China (MD = 8.91, CI = 1.18, 16.64, = .024), where females who were adopted reported higher PedsQL social scores than females who were not adopted (MD = 11.83, CI = 3.09, 20.57, = .008). Females who were adopted reported higher Cleft-Q Social scores than males who were adopted (MD = -6.95, CI = -18.54, -.54, = .038).ConclusionsChild and Family QoL was comparable between children with CLP, aged 8-10 years, who were and were not adopted. Being adopted may confer some protection for social functioning, particularly for females who are adopted.

Quality of Life

cleft lip and palate

psychosocial adjustment

Details

Title: Subtitle: Quality of Life for Children with Cleft Lip and Palate and Their Families: The Effect of Adoption from China
Creators: Kathleen A Kapp-Simon - Shriners Hospitals for Children - Chicago
Meredith Albert - University of Illinois Chicago
Canice E Crerand - Nationwide Children's Hospital
Claudia Crilly Bellucci - Shriners Hospitals for Children - Chicago
Celia E Heppner - The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Suzanne Woodard
Amy L Conrad - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal
DOI: 10.1177/10556656261462270
PMID: 42377082
ISSN: 1545-1569
eISSN: 1545-1569
Publisher: American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association
Grant note: Cleft Palate Foundation
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Cleft Palate Foundation, American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 06/30/2026
Academic Unit: Pediatric Psychology; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Craniofacial Anomalies Research Center
Record Identifier: 9985177806602771

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