Coping Strategies and Emotional Styles in Iranian Mothers of Children With Cleft Lip and Palate Publisher



Safari Z ; Moradi N ; Ghanbari S ; Nejad SB ; Tavakoli M ; Soltani M
Source: Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal Published:2025

Abstract

Objective: To compare coping strategies and maternal emotional styles among mothers of children with cleft lip and palate (CL/P) and mothers of children without CL/P. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Ahvaz Multidisciplinary Cleft Lip and Palate Team, Speech Therapy Clinics in Ahvaz. Participants: Mothers of children with CL/P (n = 66); mothers of children without CL/P (n = 59); total n = 125. Intervention: The Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) and Maternal Emotional Styles Questionnaire (MESQ) were completed by mothers of children with CL/P and children without CL/P. Main Outcome Measures: Coping strategies and emotional styles of mothers of children with CL/P. Results: The results showed that after controlling for the effect of income, there was a significant difference between the coping styles and emotional styles of the 2 groups of mothers. Mothers of children with CL/P had an emotion-oriented style when faced with stressful situations, and their way of dealing with their children's emotions was an emotional dismissive style. While mothers of children without CL/P had task-oriented and avoidance-oriented style when faced with stressful situations, and their way of dealing with their children's emotions was an emotional coaching style. Conclusions: The results show that mothers of children with CL/P use less effective coping styles in stressful situations and also often deal with their children's emotions in a dismissive manner. Therefore, due to the important role of mother-child interaction in the process of multidisciplinary assessment and treatment of children with CL/P, it is better to consider the psychological and emotional state of their mothers. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.