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Clare McKeaveney, Postgraduate Research Student

PhD student Clare McKeaveneyContact Details

Email: Cmckeaveney03@qub.ac.uk

Year: 3rd year

Project Details

First Supervisor: Professor Peter Hepper

Second Supervisor: Professor Donald Burden and Dr Orlagh Hunt

PhD Title: Psychological impact of surgical-orthodontic treatment: A follow-up

Summary of Project: The main aim my study is to assess changes in psychological well-being and self-perception in patients who have completed orthognathic treatment.  Current research has not documented accurately the impact this treatment has on the patient's psychological well-being.  This is a particularly expensive and protracted treatment provided to patients by the NHS Hospital Consultant Orthodontic and Maxillofacial services and in view of clinical governance, it is imperative that any form of surgical intervention is supported by high quality scientific evidence.  This will be a longitudinal study, using the baseline psychosocial status of the patients from previous research to provide an evaluation into the longitudinal benefits of orthognathic treatment (Burden et al., 2010; Johnston et al., 2010).  This study will also provide an in-depth and unique qualitative assessment into the long term psychosocial impact of dentofacial disproportions on life experiences which is not available in the current research literature, and will supplement the quantitative measures investigating psychosocial functioning for treatment outcome in this study.  It is hoped that this research will help increase knowledge about patients referred for this type of treatment and the benefits they gain from the different treatments available. 

Research Cluster: Behaviour Development and Welfare