Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Psychosocial Risk Assessment in Families of Children With Craniofacial Conditions: A...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Craniofacial Health
• Psychosocial Assessment

Background:

• Psychosocial well-being is crucial for children with craniofacial conditions.
• The Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Craniofacial Version (PAT-CV) is used for screening.
• Understanding factors influencing PAT-CV scores is important for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between PAT-CV scores and demographic/clinical characteristics in pediatric craniofacial patients.
• To assess the longitudinal changes in PAT-CV scores over approximately one year.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 1323 children with craniofacial conditions at a US pediatric academic medical center.
• Analysis of PAT-CV scores from baseline and follow-up visits (414 children with 2 visits).
• Statistical examination of relationships between scores and patient characteristics, and score changes over time.

Main Results:

• Higher PAT-CV scores were associated with older age, public insurance, non-cleft craniofacial conditions, and co-existing chronic conditions (P < .05).
• PAT-CV total scores demonstrated stability over approximately one year, with no significant changes in scores or risk classifications.
• Baseline demographic and clinical factors significantly correlated with initial PAT-CV scores.

Conclusions:

• Demographic and clinical factors significantly influence psychosocial assessment scores in pediatric craniofacial populations at baseline.
• PAT-CV scores are stable over a one-year period, supporting its utility in longitudinal monitoring.
• Findings can inform universal psychosocial screening by identifying key risk factors in craniofacial care.