Strabismus and children's personality reactions.

Abstract

ANY physical handicaps have been described and classified as to anatom-M ical and physiological characteristics, but little emphasis has been put on the person who experiences the handicap and how it is experienced. Strabismus interested us, among other reasons, because it is a common defect which is correctable to a large degree. This lends itself to a study of the personal and social adjustments of the individual before and after the defect.A search of our medical records uncovered ten cross-eyed children in our group at Sunny Hills (San Francisco Presbyterian Orphanage and Farm). These children, like all others admitted to this organization, had a complete ,anamnesis. Prior to admission of the child a history was obtained by the social worker from the parents and all social agencies which were active on the case. Following admission, periodic medical examinations were made. Continuation notes covering the observations of the child's personality were made monthly, so thorough as to give a good idea of the child's intramural adjustments. Frequent reports as to the extramural adjustments were obtained from the schools, 4-H Club, Scout organizations, etc. In our Clinic an evaluation of the personal adjustments of the child were made. At the frequent staff meetings an opportunity was provided to discuss the functioning of a growing totally-integrated person in his changing environment.With such a setup it was possible to compare clearly the progressive adaptations occasioned by changes in the ocular status in our unselected strabismus children. Of these there were six girls and four boys. Ages ranged from 5 to 15;

The effect of strabismus on a young child’s selection of a playmate

“…The results of this study indicate that the actual strabismus is not a factor in a child's selection of a playmate however, caution is necessary when trying to extrapolate to a real life situation. Children with strabismus may adopt certain undesirable characteristics as a result of their condition, such as avoiding eye contact and becoming introverted or shy (Lion et al, 1943;Groffman, 1978). Perhaps these personality traits would decrease peer acceptance of a child with strabismus although their eye alignment on its own would not have the same effect.…”

“…Older literature based on case reports has suggested that children with strabismus encounter difficulty with social interaction among their peers in the elementary school years (Lion et al, 1943). A more recent study by Paysse et al (2001) supported these findings and reported that negative attitudes toward strabismus emerge around the age of six.…”

“…For many years, the literature has supported through case reports and survey studies that the presence of strabismus can have a negative impact on a person's social acceptance (Lion et al, 1943;Groffman, 1978;Satterfield et al, 1993). More recently with the advances in computer technology, studies have used digital manipulation to create pictures that simulate strabismus in individuals without naturally occurring strabismus to investigate this topic.…”

Negative social reaction to strabismus in school children ages 8-12 years

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Very often, these children are embarrassed about their condition, have difficulty making eye contact, and have problems with self-esteem. 9 Such negative impact appears to persist into adulthood and can adversely influence one's social skills, 10 psychological health, 11,12 and employability.…”

Detection of Socially Significant Strabismus in an Ethnically Diverse Model Set

“…As early as 1943, Lion et al 1 wrote on the topic of strabismus and its adverse effects on children’s personalities. However, the first major research study evaluating the psychosocial aspects of strabismus was performed by Satterfield et al in 1993.…”