This study will evaluate the impact of several psychosocial variables on patient adjustment to orthognathic surgery and treatment outcomes. Specifically, the impact of interpersonal support, personality variables, psychological state during treatment, expectations of surgical outcomes (esthetic, functional, and psychosocial), and doctor-patient communication will be investigated. The study derives theoretically from an adaptive task model developed by researchers in health psychology. Researchers hypothesized that how successfully a patient coped with his or her illness was determined by the individual's efficacy in negotiating a series of adaptive tasks. Our methodology employs a quasi-experimental time series design. Fifty adult patients scheduled to undergo a combination of orthodontics and orthognathic surgery will complete a series of questionnaires at the following times during treatment: One month presurgically (T1); One day presurgically (T2); Two weeks postoperatively (T3); Two months postoperatively (T4); Six months postoperatively (T5). Additionally, the patient's orthodontist or oral surgeon will complete questionnaires evaluating certain aspects of the patient's treatment and surgical outcome at T1, T3, T4, and T5. The specific aim of this project is to more clearly delineate psychosocial variables related to coping with orthognathic surgery and physical change. It is anticipated that the research will have both clinical and research significance. Clinically it is hoped that the research will promote improved patient adaptation to orthognathic treatment and physical change, in addition to specifically leading to the development of screening and intervention strategies for patients considered at psychological risk. By identifying salient psychosocial factors associated with coping we hope to move ahead in the development of a research project evaluating the efficacy of intervention strategies on improving patient adaptation to orthognathic surgery and treatment outcomes.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter