Visible difference amongst children and adolescents: Issues and interventions

Rumsey, Nichola; Harcourt, Diana

Abstract

Whether present at birth or acquired later in life, a visible difference (disfigurement) can have considerable psychological ramifications for children and adolescents. Whilst many young people adapt to the demands placed upon them and appear relatively unaffected, others report difficulties including adverse effects on body image, quality of life, self-esteem and difficulty with social encounters. This review examines the issues experienced by those affected, summarizes the factors identified as exacerbating or ameliorating any difficulties, then considers the particular pressures associated with developmental stages and the issues for family members. The current provision of care, the potential benefit of psychosocial interventions and the challenges faced by researchers in this area are explored. © 2007 Informa UK Ltd.

• Journal Article Type: Review
• Publication Date: Oct 16, 2007
• Journal: Developmental Neurorehabilitation
• Print ISSN: 1751-8423
• Electronic ISSN: 1751-8431
• Publisher: Informa Healthcare
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 113-123
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13638490701217396
• Keywords: disfigurement, visible difference, psychology, adolescents, children
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1027322
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13638490701217396
• Additional Information: Additional Information : Invited expert 'state-of-the-art' review of research in the field of disfigurement in children and adolescents in special edition of this Journal on the topic of Disfigurement. Along with Rumsey and Harcourt's review of research for adults in Body Image(2004) establishes them as key experts in the field.