Systematic review: Psychosocial interventions for children and young people with visible differences resulting from appearance altering conditions, injury, or treatment effects

Abstract

Objective Evaluate critically the evidence of the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for children/young people (<18 years old) with visible differences in improving self-esteem, social experiences, psychological well-being, and behavioral outcomes. Methods Studies were systematically identified using electronic databases, appraised according to eligibility criteria and evaluated for risk of bias. Findings were reported using the PRISMA checklist. Results Studies were identified that evaluated residential social camps, exercise with counseling, social skills training (SIST), behavioral therapy (BT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Risk of bias within studies was high. Camp studies and exercise with counseling showed little or no effect postintervention on self-esteem, social experiences, and psychological well-being. The five studies evaluating SIST, CBT, and BT provided limited support for their effectiveness. Conclusions Evidence base is inconclusive. Further rigorous research using appropriate outcome measures to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for young people with visible differences is required.