Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Adult Patients With an Orofacial Cleft: An Unseen Psychological Burden

ObjectivesFacial dysmorphic disorder (FDD), a variant of body dysmorphic disorder, occurs when individuals are preoccupied with perceived defects in their facial appearance. Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) requires many clinical interventions and has significant psychological impacts on a patient's perception of appearance. This study identified psychological burdens related to living as an adult with CL/P and characterizes the degree of FDD symptoms in an adult craniofacial population.MethodsThis was a prospective, single‐center, cross‐sectional case–control study using semi‐structured interviews and symptom assessments at a university‐based craniofacial center. Patients without CL/P undergoing non‐cosmetic facial surgery were recruited as controls (n = 20). Patients with an orofacial cleft (n = 30) were recruited from medical and dental providers at the University of North Carolina. Body Dysmorphic Disorder‐Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (BBD‐YBOCS) scores were collected from a control population and patients with CL/P to assess FDD severity.ResultsDemographic factors such age, biological sex, and ethnicity had no significant impact on FDD symptom scores. Patient with CL/P were more likely to have significant FDD symptoms (BDD‐YBOCS greater than 16) than patients without CL/P (OR 10.5, CI95 2.7–41.1), and had a mean difference in FDD symptoms scores of 10.04 (p < 0.0001; CI95 5.5–14.6). Patients with CL/P seen by a mental health provider in the past 3 months had 3‐fold lower overall FDD symptom scores (OR 0.081; CI95 0.0085–0.77).ConclusionsAdults with CL/P would benefit from treatment for cleft‐specific needs and psychological support as they face unique stressors related to their appearance, including an increase in FDD‐associated symptoms. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing psychological symptoms and providing ongoing multidisciplinary care to adults with CL/P.Level of Evidence3; Individual case–control study Laryngoscope, 133:818–821, 2023