Adolescents with cleft lip and palate: self-perceptions of appearance and behavior related to personality adjustment

Two groups of adolescents with cleft lip and palate were compared on their self-ratings of facial appearance and behavior. The two groups were identified as well adjusted (N = 19) or poorly adjusted (N = 17), based on their parents' ratings of behavior. T-test comparisons indicate that the group with good adjustment have realistic perceptions of facial appearance (based on independent ratings by their teachers), and their self-perceptions of behavior are similar to those of their parents. The poorly adjusted group have unrealistic perceptions of facial appearance and perceive their behavior as more socially acceptable than do their parents.