Developmental characteristics of non-verbal behavior in children with unique faces during interpersonal communication

目的：探讨头面部疾病儿童在人际交往中的面部行为特征。方法：94例唇腭裂患儿参加本研究。年龄从5岁到15岁不等。另外，50名无头面部疾病的儿童作为对照组。在采访过程中，受试者被安装在采访者面前的两个摄像头从正面拍摄下来。两名评分员评估了(1)凝视厌恶，(2)鼻子形状，(3)嘴唇形状，1-4 Likert量表(1-自然，2-轻微不自然，3-相当不自然，4-非常不自然)。结果：对每个评分者在每个量表上的不自然感得分进行单因素方差分析。在每个量表上，组的主效应都是显著的。此外，通过Spearman相关分析发现，这些量表之间存在显著的正相关。结论：这项研究的结果表明，与对照组相比，患有头面部疾病的儿童的凝视厌恶被评为相对不自然的。这种面部行为被认为与头面部状况的程度有关。患者的非自然和频繁的凝视厌恶可能会给人一种在人际交流中渴望较少、说话努力减少、积极倾听较差的印象。

OBJECTIVE : This study examined the characteristics of facial behavior presented by children with craniofacial conditions during interpersonal communication. METHODS : Ninety -four children with cleft lip and/or palate participated in this study. Their ages ranged from 5 to 15 years. In addition, 50 children, without craniofacial conditions participated as a control group. During the interviews, the subjects were videotaped from the front side by two cameras which were set up in front of an interviewer. Two raters evaluated (1) gaze aversion., (2) shape of nose, (3) shape of lips on the 1- 4 Likert scale (1-natural, 2- slightly unnatural, 3- considerably unnatural, 4-extremely unnatural). RESULTS : A one-way ANOVA analysis was conducted on the scores of unnaturalness on each scale by each rater. A main effect of groups was significant at each scale. Furthermore, significant positive correlations were found among those scales performed by a Spearman correlation analysis. CONCLUSIONS : The results of this study showed that gaze aversion in children with craniofacial conditions was rated relatively unnatural compared to the control group. Such facial behavior was assumed to be related to the degree of the craniofacial conditions. There is a possibility that the unnatural and frequent gaze aversion in the patients may give others the impression of less eagerness, reduced speaking effort, and poor active listening during interpersonal communication.