Body Image in Adolescents with Craniofacial Conditions

描述(由申请人提供)：患有头面部疾病的青少年容易出现特定的心理社会困难，这些困难与对他们的外表和身体形象的不满有关。身体意象是一种多维结构，定义为个体对外貌和身体机能的感知和评价。身体意象的认知-行为理论模型为理解头面部疾病患者的心理社会功能提供了一个有用的框架。身体形象的差异可能有助于解释在患有头面部疾病的年轻人中观察到的心理社会功能的差异。由于身体形象与心理社会功能的关系，在制定干预措施以预防或改善患有头面部疾病的青少年的心理社会问题时，身体形象可能是一个有用的风险因素。到目前为止，还没有经验支持的干预措施来解决患有头面部疾病的青少年的身体形象和心理社会问题。这项K23指导的以患者为导向的研究职业发展奖将通过以下方式解决文献中的这些空白：1)表征和评估患有和不患有颅面部疾病的青少年的身体形象；2)检查患有颅面部疾病的青少年身体形象的心理社会相关性；以及3)为患有颅面部疾病的青少年开发和试点认知行为身体形象和社交技能干预。第一项拟议的研究是对70名患有头面部疾病的青少年和35名未受影响的青少年进行的身体形象和心理社会功能的横断面调查。第二项拟议的研究将需要为患有头面部疾病的青少年开发认知行为身体形象干预，并将利用受试者内设计来评估干预对身体形象和心理社会功能的影响。这一K23奖项还将为候选人提供作为独立研究员发展所必需的培训和指导。本建议中概述的培训计划将使应聘者能够1)发展头面部疾病的医疗和心理社会方面的专业知识；2)获得与干预发展和评估有关的知识和技能；3)获得研究方法和统计方面的高级培训，这将提高她的科学成果的质量。这些研究的总体目的是提高我们对患有头面部疾病的青少年心理社会问题的风险和保护因素的了解。这些研究还将为制定经验性干预措施奠定基础，该干预措施旨在改善患有头面部疾病的青少年的身体形象、心理社会功能和生活质量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Adolescents with craniofacial conditions are vulnerable to specific psychosocial difficulties that are associated with dissatisfaction with their appearance and body image. Body image is a multidimensional construct, defined as an individual's perception and evaluation of physical appearance and bodily functioning. The cognitive-behavioral theoretical model of body image provides a useful framework for understanding the psychosocial functioning of persons with craniofacial conditions. Differences in body image may help explain the variation in psychosocial functioning observed in youth with craniofacial conditions. Because of its relationship to psychosocial functioning, body image may be a useful risk factor to target when developing interventions to prevent or improve psychosocial problems among youth with craniofacial conditions. To date, there are no empirically supported interventions to address the body image and psychosocial problems of youth with craniofacial conditions. This K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award will address these gaps in the literature by: 1) characterizing and evaluating body image in adolescents with and without craniofacial conditions; 2) examining psychosocial correlates of body image in adolescents with craniofacial conditions; and 3) developing and piloting a cognitive-behavioral body image and social skills intervention for adolescents with craniofacial conditions. The first proposed study is a cross-sectional investigation of body image and psychosocial functioning in 70 adolescents with craniofacial conditions and 35 non-affected adolescents. The second proposed study will entail development of a cognitive behavioral body image intervention for adolescents with craniofacial conditions and will utilize a within-subjects design to evaluate the impact of the intervention on body image and psychosocial functioning. This K23 Award will also provide the candidate with the training and mentoring that are necessary to her development as an independent researcher. The training plan outlined in this proposal will enable the candidate to 1) develop expertise in the medical and psychosocial aspects of craniofacial conditions; 2) obtain knowledge and skills related to intervention development and evaluation; and 3) acquire advanced training in research methodology and statistics which will increase the quality of her scientific output. The overall aim of these studies is to improve our understanding of risk and protective factors for psychosocial problems in youth with craniofacial conditions. These studies will also lay the foundation for the development of an empirically supported intervention designed to improve body image, psychosocial functioning, and quality of life in adolescents with craniofacial conditions.