Online Psychosocial Support for Young People With a Visible Difference: A Randomised Control Study

Summary

A visible difference can have a profound impact in a society with a massive emphasis on appearance and "looks". A vulnerable group is adolescents with a condition affecting their appearance as a result of injuries (burns, accidents), treatment (cancer), skin conditions or congenital anomalies (birthmarks, craniofacial conditions). Research has identified potential psychological difficulties, which, if not addressed, can lead to anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

In addition to medical treatment options, aiming at diminishing a difference that may be visible to others, young people with appearance concerns also need self-management skills. However, evidence-based interventions are scarce and specialised psychological treatment is difficult to reach.

The Centre for Appearance Research (Bristol, UK) has developed an online intervention for adolescents, now translated into Norwegian (www.ungfaceit.no). UNG Face IT provides easy access to specialist advice and support via a home computer, using information, videos, and interactive activities. It provides advice, teaches coping and social skills, strengthening psychological adjustment to a visible difference.

A systematic evaluation of the Norwegian version is needed. UNG Face IT could potentially address unmet needs, provide a cost-effective tool to reduce the need for "face-to-face" psychological and surgical/medical services, and contribute to make online health care available for young people with a visible difference.

Conditions

• Skin Condition
• Cleft Lip and Palate
• Burns
• Other Conditions Leading to a Visible Difference
• Craniofacial Abnormalities

Interventions

OTHER

Ung Face IT

Ung Face IT is an online intervention tool (programme) that provides easy access to specialist advice and support via a home computer/tablet, using illustrations, information, videos, and interactive activities, and a discussion forum for participants only (supervised by the research team). Through these tools, it provides advice and teaches coping skills based on cognitive behavioural therapy and social interaction skills training.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Centre for Appearance Research, University of the West of England, UK

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Oslo University Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Olve Moldestad, PhD · Centre Director

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

17 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2016-04-01

Primary Completion

2021-06-30

Completion

2023-09-30

Countries

• Norway

Study Locations