Nicole Paraskeva's Outputs (31)

The psychosocial outcomes following cosmetic surgery are largely unknown: A systematic review (2025)
Journal Article

Introduction: Cosmetic surgery is marketed and widely assumed to have positive psychosocial outcomes, particularly in relation to body image, self-esteem and mental health. The present systematic review aimed to conduct a timely, up-to-date assessmen... Read More about The psychosocial outcomes following cosmetic surgery are largely unknown: A systematic review.

An exploration of having social media influencers deliver a first-line digital intervention to improve body image among adolescent girls: A qualitative study (2024)
Journal Article

Social media influencers are popular among adolescents and could offer a unique way to reach young people at scale with body image interventions. This study explored girls’ and influencers’ views on having influencers deliver body image interventions... Read More about An exploration of having social media influencers deliver a first-line digital intervention to improve body image among adolescent girls: A qualitative study.

A cognitive dissonance body image intervention ‘Free Being Me’ delivered by Guide leaders to adolescent Girl Guides in India: A pilot and acceptability trial (2023)
Journal Article

This pilot study assessed the acceptability and pre-post intervention effects of a cognitive dissonance-based body image intervention, Free Being Me, delivered by Guide leaders to adolescent girls in India. Girls aged 11–14 years (Mage = 12.6, N = 11... Read More about A cognitive dissonance body image intervention ‘Free Being Me’ delivered by Guide leaders to adolescent Girl Guides in India: A pilot and acceptability trial.

A longitudinal study investigating positive body image, eating disorder symptoms, and other related factors among a community sample of men in the UK (2022)
Journal Article

Emerging research suggests that positive body image—an overall love and respect for one’s body— may be a protective factor for eating disorder (ED) symptoms. This study aimed to explore the relationships between positive body image, ED symptoms, and... Read More about A longitudinal study investigating positive body image, eating disorder symptoms, and other related factors among a community sample of men in the UK.

Exploring the experiences and psychosocial support needs of informal carers of men with breast cancer: A qualitative study (2022)
Journal Article

Purpose: The provision of practical and emotional support for men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK falls primarily on their partners, close family members or friends. However, informal carers’ experiences are omitted from the rese... Read More about Exploring the experiences and psychosocial support needs of informal carers of men with breast cancer: A qualitative study.

A multi-centred sequential trial comparing PEGASUS, an intervention to promote shared decision making about breast reconstruction with usual care (2021)
Journal Article

Decision making about breast reconstruction (BR) is complex. The Patients’ Expectations and Goals: Assisting Shared Understanding of Surgery (PEGASUS) intervention aims to support shared decision making by helping women and clinicians clarify and dis... Read More about A multi-centred sequential trial comparing PEGASUS, an intervention to promote shared decision making about breast reconstruction with usual care.

Psychological Assessment (2021)
Book Chapter

Although research relating to the psychology of the cosmetic surgery patient is still in its infancy, there is a consensus amongst researchers that various combinations of psychological factors play a key role in the recent increase in demand for cos... Read More about Psychological Assessment.

“They were aware of who I was as a person”: Patients’ and health professionals’ experiences of using the PEGASUS intervention to facilitate decision-making around breast reconstruction (2021)
Journal Article

Objective: Many women choose to have breast reconstruction after mastectomy, however, decision-making can be difficult and expectations are often unmet. The PEGASUS intervention (Patient Expectations and Goals: Assisting Shared Understanding of Surge... Read More about “They were aware of who I was as a person”: Patients’ and health professionals’ experiences of using the PEGASUS intervention to facilitate decision-making around breast reconstruction.

The nature and importance of women's goals for immediate and delayed breast reconstruction (2021)
Journal Article

Objectives: Increasingly, women undergo breast reconstruction (BR) surgery to restore health-related and psychosocial quality of life after mastectomy. Most research focuses on BR outcomes rather than women's pre-surgical expectations of, and goals f... Read More about The nature and importance of women's goals for immediate and delayed breast reconstruction.

Challenges and reflections from a multi-centre trial of a psycho-oncology intervention to support shared decision-making in breast reconstruction (2020)
Journal Article

PEGASUS: the Design of an Intervention to Facilitate Shared Decision-making in Breast Reconstruction (2020)
Journal Article

© 2020, The Author(s). Studies have found varying levels of satisfaction after breast reconstruction surgery with a substantial group of patients reporting some level of regret about their decision. The variable outcomes reported by women undergoing... Read More about PEGASUS: the Design of an Intervention to Facilitate Shared Decision-making in Breast Reconstruction.

Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy (CPM) and the clinical consultation: A snapshot of UK healthcare professionals’ views and experiences (2019)
Journal Article

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Objectives: Increasing numbers of women are undergoing Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy (CPM) in the UK. However, professional guidelines suggest CPM does not offer oncological benefit to the majority of women with breast can... Read More about Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy (CPM) and the clinical consultation: A snapshot of UK healthcare professionals’ views and experiences.

Body Image, Esteem, and Dissatisfaction During Childhood (2019)
Book Chapter

This entry outlines empirical evidence for the key influences on children’s body image. It reviews the prevalence of body image concerns during childhood and examines the biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that can influence childre... Read More about Body Image, Esteem, and Dissatisfaction During Childhood.

Women’s initial experiences of their appearance after mastectomy and/or breast reconstruction: A qualitative study (2019)
Journal Article

Objective: Surgical procedures intended to treat breast cancer or reduce risk of developing the disease typically result in changes to appearance and scarring of the breast area, and any donor sites. The longer-term impact of these changes on body i... Read More about Women’s initial experiences of their appearance after mastectomy and/or breast reconstruction: A qualitative study.

“It felt like unfinished business, it feels like that's finished now”: Women's experiences of decision making around contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) (2019)
Journal Article

© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Objective: Increasing numbers of women in the United Kingdom are choosing to have a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) after diagnosis of breast cancer. Whilst research suggests that many experience high rate... Read More about “It felt like unfinished business, it feels like that's finished now”: Women's experiences of decision making around contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM).

First look: A mixed methods study exploring women's initial experiences of their appearance after mastectomy and/or breast reconstruction (2019)
Journal Article

Objectives: Increasing numbers of women are undergoing appearance-altering surgery for the treatment and/or prevention of breast cancer. However, women’s experiences of seeing the results of their breast surgery for the first time, and the support a... Read More about First look: A mixed methods study exploring women's initial experiences of their appearance after mastectomy and/or breast reconstruction.

Body appreciation in British men: Correlates and variation across sexual orientation (2018)
Journal Article

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Investigations of positive body image among men and across various social identities are lacking, and could contribute to a more complete understanding of the construct, including how positive body image can be improved. This stud... Read More about Body appreciation in British men: Correlates and variation across sexual orientation.

Opportunities and priorities for breast surgical research (2018)
Journal Article

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd The 2013 Breast Cancer Campaign gap analysis established breast cancer research priorities without a specific focus on surgical research or the role of surgeons on breast cancer research. This Review aims to identify opportunities... Read More about Opportunities and priorities for breast surgical research.

Altered Appearance from Cancer (2018)
Book Chapter

In this chapter, we delineate various appearance alterations that can result from cancer and its treatment. We focus on describing the impact of appearance changes involving weight, scarring from surgery, alopecia, ascites, and lymphedema. We also ex... Read More about Altered Appearance from Cancer.

Assessing the effectiveness of interventions to support patient decision making about breast reconstruction: A systematic review (2018)
Journal Article

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Background: Decision making about breast reconstruction (BR) following a diagnosis of breast cancer, Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), or to reduce future breast cancer risk, is difficult and complex. This paper systematically revi... Read More about Assessing the effectiveness of interventions to support patient decision making about breast reconstruction: A systematic review.