A Qualitative Study of Children's Perspectives on Their Peer Relationships in the Context of Living with a Craniofacial Anomaly

Abstract

Objective To gain understanding of perspectives on peer relationships from children with congenital craniofacial anomalies (CFA). Design This was qualitative research based in a phenomenological approach, using narratives that captured children's responses to open-ended and objective questions about peer relations and life with a CFA. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were coded according to thematic categories. Setting Children were patients at a reconstructive plastic surgery center in an urban hospital and medical school and were recruited from a regional support organization for families of children with CFA that was associated with the hospital. Patients, Participants Nine children with congenital CFA aged 9 to 14 years. Main Outcome Measures: Thematic coding categories were developed from the narratives using an open coding strategy; these categories focused on aspects of children's interactions with peers and their appraisals of the role of their CFA in their lives. Results Children reported satisfaction with most aspects of their peer relationships and expressed confidence in their ability to manage challenges. They acknowledged some difficulties with living with a CFA but tended to hold a balanced perspective on the impact of a CFA on their lives, and they expressed optimism about their future lives. Conclusions This sample of children with CFA exhibited much resilience. Although they may not be representative of all children with CFA, they provide examples that can be used to generate hypotheses for future research.