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All Outputs (15)

“The elephant in the room”: Disclosing facial differences (2022)
Journal Article
Bogart, K. R., Bryson, B. A., Plackowski, E. F., & Sharratt, N. D. (in press). “The elephant in the room”: Disclosing facial differences. Stigma and Health, https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000430

Due to high visibility and low public awareness, people with facial differences (FD) frequently face decisions about whether to explain or disclose their FD. Although disclosure of concealable stigma has been frequently researched, little work has ex... Read More about “The elephant in the room”: Disclosing facial differences.

Men’s experiences of alopecia areata: A qualitative study (2022)
Journal Article
Zucchelli, F., Sharratt, N., Montgomery, K., & Chambers, J. (2022). Men’s experiences of alopecia areata: A qualitative study. Health Psychology Open, 9(2), 20551029221121524. https://doi.org/10.1177/20551029221121524

Alopecia areata (AA) affects men at similar rates to women, yet comparatively little is known about men’s experience of the condition. We interviewed a demographically diverse group of 18 men with AA to explore this gap. From qualitative thematic ana... Read More about Men’s experiences of alopecia areata: A qualitative study.

(Loss of) the super soldier: Combat-injuries, body image and veterans’ romantic relationships (2022)
Journal Article
Keeling, M., & Sharratt, N. D. (2023). (Loss of) the super soldier: Combat-injuries, body image and veterans’ romantic relationships. Disability and Rehabilitation, 45(2), 209-219. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2026499

Purpose: Some military personnel sustain physical injuries that alter their appearance, such as limb-loss and scarring. Veterans injured this way may experience body image distress and mental and physical wellbeing difficulties. While research with c... Read More about (Loss of) the super soldier: Combat-injuries, body image and veterans’ romantic relationships.

‘My face in someone else’s hands’: A qualitative study of medical tattooing in women with hair loss (2021)
Journal Article
Stock, N. M., Sharratt, N. D., Treneman-Evans, G., Montgomery, K., Denman, R., Harcourt, D., & at the Centre for Appearance Research, T. V. R. T. (2022). ‘My face in someone else’s hands’: A qualitative study of medical tattooing in women with hair loss. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 27(7), 1431-1442. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2021.1883688

The psychological and social impact of hair loss and its ongoing treatment can be considerable. Medical treatments are not always successful, and alternative treatments, such as medical tattooing, are growing in popularity. The aims of this study wer... Read More about ‘My face in someone else’s hands’: A qualitative study of medical tattooing in women with hair loss.

Becoming known: Disclosure and exposure of (in)visible difference. (2020)
Journal Article
Sharratt, N. D., Williamson, H., Zucchelli, F., & Kiff, J. (2020). Becoming known: Disclosure and exposure of (in)visible difference. Stigma and Health, 5(4), 413-424. https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000212

Bodily or physical differences constitute a class of potentially stigmatized characteristics. The existing literature confirms that those with appearance altering or disfiguring conditions (“visible differences”) may experience both felt and enacted... Read More about Becoming known: Disclosure and exposure of (in)visible difference..

Patients’ experiences of an acceptance and commitment therapy-based approach for psychosocial difficulties relating to an appearance-affecting condition (2020)
Journal Article
Zucchelli, F. A., Donnelly, O., Sharratt, N., Hooper, N., & Williamson, H. M. (2020). Patients’ experiences of an acceptance and commitment therapy-based approach for psychosocial difficulties relating to an appearance-affecting condition. European Journal of Counselling Psychology, 9(1), 29-40. https://doi.org/10.46853/001c.22012

Some individuals with appearance-affecting conditions experience psychosocial challenges such as social anxiety and avoidance. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may offer a suitable approach for these challenges. This qualitative study investig... Read More about Patients’ experiences of an acceptance and commitment therapy-based approach for psychosocial difficulties relating to an appearance-affecting condition.

‘Everybody’s Different: The Appearance Game’. A randomised controlled trial evaluating an appearance-related board game intervention with children aged 9-11 years (2020)
Journal Article
Jarman, H., Guest, E., Hannah, J., Sharratt, N., Williamson, H., White, P., …Slater, A. (2021). ‘Everybody’s Different: The Appearance Game’. A randomised controlled trial evaluating an appearance-related board game intervention with children aged 9-11 years. Body Image, 36, 34-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.09.010

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an educational board game aimed at increasing knowledge of appearance-related issues, positive body image, media literacy, and acceptance of appearance diversity with British school children. Two hundred and... Read More about ‘Everybody’s Different: The Appearance Game’. A randomised controlled trial evaluating an appearance-related board game intervention with children aged 9-11 years.

Equality in cleft and craniofacial care (2020)
Journal Article
Sharratt, N. D., Agius, J. C., Davies, G., Mehendale, F. V., Hagell, P., & Persson, M. (2020). Equality in cleft and craniofacial care. Plastic and Aesthetic Research, 7(35), https://doi.org/10.20517/2347-9264.2020.99

This review examines the issue of equality of care amongst those with cleft lip and/or palate in the European Union (EU) and beyond. Issues of equality both between and within national populations are considered, and it is argued that those from coun... Read More about Equality in cleft and craniofacial care.

Experiences of living with visible difference: Individual and social reflections (2019)
Journal Article
Sharratt, N. D., Jenkinson, E., Moss, T., Clarke, A., & Rumsey, N. (2019). Experiences of living with visible difference: Individual and social reflections. Health Psychology Update, 28(2),

Many health conditions impact upon an individual’s appearance and result in an altered appearance (“visible difference”). The presence of visible difference is associated with a variety of psychosocial difficulties and challenges, yet calls for an i... Read More about Experiences of living with visible difference: Individual and social reflections.

Translation and pilot study of the Cleft Hearing Appearance and Speech Questionnaire (CHASQ) (2019)
Journal Article
Stiernman, M., Maulina, I., Zepa, I., Jagomägi, T., Tanaskovic, N., Knežević, P., …Persson, M. (2019). Translation and pilot study of the Cleft Hearing Appearance and Speech Questionnaire (CHASQ). European Journal of Plastic Surgery, 42(6), 583-592. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-019-01543-9

Background There has been a lack of a standardized protocol for collection of patient reported outcomes (PRO) and detection of and indication for psychological treatment in cleft care. The objectives of this paper was to translate Cleft Hearing Ap... Read More about Translation and pilot study of the Cleft Hearing Appearance and Speech Questionnaire (CHASQ).

Understandings and experiences of visible difference and romantic relationships: A qualitative exploration (2018)
Journal Article
Sharratt, N. D., Jenkinson, E., Moss, T., Clarke, A., & Rumsey, N. (2018). Understandings and experiences of visible difference and romantic relationships: A qualitative exploration. Body Image, 27, 32-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.08.002

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd The association between disfigurement (‘visible difference’) and romantic relationships has received relatively little consideration in the research literature. This qualitative research, conducted in the United Kingdom, explored... Read More about Understandings and experiences of visible difference and romantic relationships: A qualitative exploration.

Falling through the gap: Dental treatment experiences of patients affected by cleft lip and/or palate (2018)
Journal Article
Stock, N. M., Sharratt, N. D., Heath, J., Nankivell, D., Martindale, A., Ridley, M., …Cunniffe, C. (2018). Falling through the gap: Dental treatment experiences of patients affected by cleft lip and/or palate. British Dental Journal, 225(3), 218-222. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.542

© 2018, Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Introduction In the UK, one in 600–700 infants is born with a cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P). Previous research has identified patients with CL/P to be at high risk of long-term oral health issues... Read More about Falling through the gap: Dental treatment experiences of patients affected by cleft lip and/or palate.

Being Ex-PLISSIT: Addressing visible differences and intimacy with patients (2017)
Journal Article
Sharratt, N. (2017). Being Ex-PLISSIT: Addressing visible differences and intimacy with patients. Journal of Aesthetic Nursing, 6(3), 144-145. https://doi.org/10.12968/joan.2017.6.3.144

Having previously discussed the possibility that appearance-altering conditions may impact on the intimate and sexual lives of some patients, this article looks more closely at the Ex-PLISSIT model of interaction which may be deployed in discussing t... Read More about Being Ex-PLISSIT: Addressing visible differences and intimacy with patients.

Self-perceptions of romantic appeal in adolescents with a cleft lip and/or palate (2016)
Journal Article
Sharratt, N. D., Feragen, K. B., Stock, N. M., Sharratt, N., & Kvalem, I. L. (2016). Self-perceptions of romantic appeal in adolescents with a cleft lip and/or palate. Body Image, 18, 143-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.06.009

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd During adolescence, romantic relationships are a key developmental milestone. Coupled with the increasing salience of appearance and social acceptance, adolescents with an appearance-altering condition may feel particularly vulner... Read More about Self-perceptions of romantic appeal in adolescents with a cleft lip and/or palate.

Impact of visible differences on intimacy: The role of health professionals (2015)
Journal Article
Sharratt, N. (2015). Impact of visible differences on intimacy: The role of health professionals. Journal of Aesthetic Nursing, 4(9), 449-451. https://doi.org/10.12968/joan.2015.4.9.449

An appearance-altering condition can have a negative impact on an individual's psychosocial wellbeing. This may extend into the important spheres of love and intimacy and can affect existing relationships, as well as the formation of new partnerships... Read More about Impact of visible differences on intimacy: The role of health professionals.