Young People, Fashion and Burns

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The relationships between ‘disfigured’ children and young people’s fashioned bodies and their everyday constructions of identity.

• IRAS ID

  231369

• Contact name

  Catherine Wilkinson

• Contact email

  catherine.wilkinson@edgehill.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Edge Hill University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 1 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  One in 500 children is affected by a facial disfigurement, and one in 100 children have a noticeable facial or other feature (Changing Faces, 2005). Visible differences result from congenital anomalies, illnesses, injuries or surgical interventions. Examples of disfigurements include burns, scars and birthmarks. This project wishes to explore the relationship between both mainstream clothing (‘fashion’) and clinical clothing (specifically pressure garments) and its social or symbolic status for children and young people with burns. The overarching objective of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the use of fashion and clothing by children and young people with burns.

  Participatory design workshops with children/young people with burns and burn-related scars will be used to generate their perceptions of fashion in relation to their bodies and the role that fashion/clothing plays in their lives.
  The workshops will have three main elements:

  1) A ‘show and tell’ exercise: Each child/young person will be asked in advance to bring in an item of clothing, and discuss its significance with the group.
  2) Creation of a mood board: children and young people will be asked to create a mood board of clothing/fashion to visually and tactilely depict their attitudes towards their identity
  3) Design element: A) Children and young people will be asked to design an item of clothing using a range of materials/colours/adornments provided by the researchers
  B) Children and young people will be engaged in an activity to evaluate existing pressure garments and design their own pressure garments

  A sample of 15 children and young people aged 5-16 years will be recruited from burns clubs, charities and via burns surgeons. The inclusion criteria are anyone who has experienced a burn aged between 5 and 16 years. We will recruit from a range of clinical severity of burns, appreciating that there are individual differences in coping strategies.

• REC name

  Wales REC 4

• REC reference

  17/WA/0270

• Date of REC Opinion

  27 Sep 2017

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion