ProACTive Study 2 (version 1.0)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of burns patients’ early experiences of appearance anxiety and acceptability of early psychological interventions
IRAS ID
292292
Contact name
Laura Shepherd
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Research Summary:
Why does appearance anxiety following a burn injury develop, and would patients find early psychological support acceptable and helpful?Why/What?
The study aims to explore burns patients’ early emotions and thoughts about their appearance, how they are reacting to these, and whether patients would find early psychological support acceptable and helpful. This research will help burns services identify patients who may later develop appearance anxiety so they can be offered early psychological help. It will also help us understand why appearance anxiety develops in some patients but not others. Finally, the findings will inform the development of an early psychological intervention for appearance anxiety.Who?
Fifteen to twenty adult burns patients who have had a burn injury in the last three months and are experiencing appearance anxiety will be invited to participate.Where?
Burns patients will be recruited from NHS burns services and burn care/visible difference charities.How?
Patients will be interviewed either face-to-face or over a video or telephone call, depending on their preference. They will be invited to answer questions about their emotions and thoughts about their appearance, how they are managing these, how these are affecting their lives, and whether they would find early psychological support acceptable and helpful. Before the interview starts, patients will also be asked questions to gather demographic (age, gender, ethnicity, employment status, relationship status, socio-economic status) and burn injury details, and complete a questionnaire measuring appearance anxiety. In total, participation will take around 70 minutes.Summary of Results:
After burn injuries, patients can feel self-conscious about their scars and other changes to their appearance. This is called ‘appearance anxiety.’ Little is known about the psychological factors that are important in the development of appearance anxiety. Early help for appearance anxiety has also not been studied. This study explored burns patients’ early experiences of appearance anxiety. It also sought patients’ views about the acceptability of early psychological support for appearance anxiety.Fifteen adults with early appearance anxiety were interviewed within three months of their burn injuries. They were asked questions about their upsetting psychological experiences about their appearance (e.g., emotions and thoughts) and how they were responding to these. They were also asked whether early psychological support would have been helpful. Patterns in patients’ answers were explored.
Other people’s reactions to patients’ burn injuries and gender stereotypes around appearance seemed important in patients’ appearance anxiety. Negative views about themselves before the burn injury happened also appeared relevant. Patients often responded to their upsetting psychological experiences about their appearance by trying to avoid them (known as psychological inflexibility) and patients often had difficulties giving themselves compassion (being kind and non-judgmental).
Patients did not think that early psychological support for appearance anxiety had been available and that this would have been helpful. However, uncertainty and obstacles to engaging in help were apparent (e.g., doubts about whether psychological support would help, limited time). Patients believed that psychological support to help them manage upsetting thoughts and feelings about their appearance would have been helpful.
Talking therapies that aim to increase willingness to having upsetting psychological experiences (psychological flexibility) and self-compassion may be helpful early on after a burn injury. Early help is likely to be acceptable for many patients. However, uncertainty and obstacles should be considered.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/WM/0144
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jul 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion