title: Facial disfigurement and sense of self in head and neck cancer.
abstract: People who suffer facial disfigurement as a result of head and neck cancer experience profound psychological trauma. This article will describe the role that the face plays in an individual's sense of self and body integrity; the psychological impact on self-esteem; physiological dysfunction with or without disfigurement that pose obstacles to meaningful therapeutic communication; implications for individual and group psychotherapy; and tasks of psychological recovery related to a transformed sense of face, body, and self.
authors.affiliation: NIH Clinical Center Social Work Department, Bldg. 10, Room IN 252, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Callahan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D005145:Face / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy