Developing young person’s Face IT: Online psychosocial support for adolescents struggling with conditions or injuries affecting their appearance

Williamson, Heidi; Griffiths, Catrin; Harcourt, Diana

Abstract

© The Author(s) 2015. A participatory action approach with potential users and clinical experts was employed to design and evaluate the acceptability of young person’s Face IT (YP Face IT), an online intervention incorporating cognitive behavioural therapy and social skills training for adolescents with appearance-related anxiety as a result of a visible difference. Workshops with adolescents and clinicians informed a prototype YP Face IT which underwent a usability analysis by 28 multidisciplinary health professionals and 18 adolescents, before 10 adolescents completed it at home. Acceptability data obtained online and via interview were analysed using content analysis. Participants found YP Face IT acceptable and believed it would provide much needed and easy access to psychosocial support. They requested that it should be made widely available either as a self-management tool requiring minimal supervision from a health professional or to compliment therapist-led care.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 27, 2015
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Jan 21, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 20, 2016
• Journal: Health Psychology Open
• Electronic ISSN: 2055-1029
• Publisher: SAGE Publications (UK and US)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 2
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102915619092
• Keywords: adolescence, anxiety, appearance, cognitive behaviour therapy, internet, intervention
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/802220
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2055102915619092
• Additional Information: Corporate Creators : Centre for Appearance Research
• Contract Date: Feb 20, 2016