All Outputs (15)

The psychosocial impact of alopecia in men: A mixed-methods survey study (2024)
Journal Article

Background
The most common forms of hair loss in men, alopecia areata (AA) (an autoimmune condition) and androgenetic alopecia (AGA) (pattern baldness), alter individuals' appearance in ways that may impact psychological and social wellbeing. We cur... Read More about The psychosocial impact of alopecia in men: A mixed-methods survey study.

“The elephant in the room”: Disclosing facial differences (2022)
Journal Article

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

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

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

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.

Patients’ experiences of an acceptance and commitment therapy-based approach for psychosocial difficulties relating to an appearance-affecting condition (2020)
Journal Article

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.

Becoming known: Disclosure and exposure of (in)visible difference. (2020)
Journal Article

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..

‘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

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.

Experiences of living with visible difference: Individual and social reflections (2019)
Journal Article

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

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

© 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

© 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

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

© 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

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.