Self concept of the cleft lip and or palate child.

This investigation examined the relationship of the self-concept of children with cleft lip and/or palate to the self-concept of noncleft children. Thirty-four cleft lip and/or palate children between the ages of 11 and 13 were individually matched with thirty-four noncleft school children. Each child was given the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale. Children with clefts, regardless of sex, reported a significantly greater dissatisfaction with physical appearance. A significant interaction effect between sex and presence or absence of cleft was found on three cluster scores with cleft girls reporting greater unhappiness and dissatisfaction, less success in school, and more anxiety.