Cleft Lip and/or Palate: Children's Experiences of Stigma in Colombia

Given prior craniofacial research reporting higher risk for negative social interactions, this study aimed to explore experiences of stigma described by children with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P).

Qualitative interviews were conducted with children in three sessions (totaling 90-180 min) using creative activities in their homes and/or and walking interviews in their neighborhood. Interview transcriptions were interpreted primarily with thematic analysis following theoretical frameworks of the stigmatization process and self-stigma concept.

Participants were recruited through Operation Smile Colombia. Interviews took place at children's homes and neighborhoods within three Colombian regions (Boyacá, Bogotá and Cundinamarca).

Children (N = 12) with CL/P aged between 6-12 years were interviewed.

Themes fit within the stigmatization process, starting with labeling and stereotyping, such as a range of mockery, and group separation by peers highlighting their not belonging and being socially 'other'. Status loss themes included negative appraisals of cleft-related differences and being perceived as 'ill' and 'imperfect'. Social exclusion themes reflected limited social interactions and loneliness. Self-stigma themes included shame about speaking with peers and anticipation of negative social interactions.

The study results suggest that the process of stigmatization and self-stigma adversely affect social interactions for children with a cleft in multiple ways. Healthcare practitioners and policy makers can help address the potential consequences of stigma by implementing interventions at micro, meso and macro levels.