Record Details
Social Interaction Experiences of Adults with Moebius Syndrome: A Focus Group
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Social Interaction Experiences of Adults with Moebius Syndrome: A Focus Group |
| Names | |
| Date Issued | 2012-11 (iso8601) |
| Note | This is an author's peer-reviewed final manuscript, as accepted by the publisher. The published article is copyrighted by the author(s) and published by SAGE Publications. It can be found at: http://hpq.sagepub.com/. |
| Abstract | This focus group study explored the social interaction experiences and strategies of 12 adults with Moebius syndrome, a rare congenital condition characterized by facial paralysis. Content analysis revealed five themes of social functioning: social engagement/disengagement, resilience/sensitivity, social support/stigma, being understood/misunderstood, and public awareness/lack of awareness of Moebius Syndrome. Participants used compensatory expressive strategies such as vocal tone, gestures, and humor. The combination of being unable to express oneself with the face, having a facial difference, and having a rare disease is particularly stigmatizing. Increasing public awareness and developing social skills programs for people with facial paralysis could facilitate social functioning. |
| Genre | Article |
| Topic | Moebius Syndrome |
| Identifier | Bogart, K. R., Tickle-Degnen, L., & Joffe, M. (2012). Social interaction experiences of adults with Moebius syndrome: A focus group. Journal of Health Psychology, 17(8), 1212-1222. doi:10.1177/1359105311432491 |
