"Ur skin is the thing that everyone sees and you cant change it!": exploring the appearance-related concerns of young people with psoriasis.
OBJECTIVE
The failure of research to capture the qualitative experiences of young people who have chronic skin conditions means that their psychosocial needs are poorly understood. Using a grounded theory approach, this study facilitated group discussions between adolescents with psoriasis in order to rapidly identify themes about their support needs.


METHODS
Three online focus groups were hosted in a real time forum. In total, 8 young people aged 11-18 years were recruited through the websites of psoriasis support organizations. Focus groups lasted an average of 1 hour and data was analysed using grounded theory techniques.


RESULTS
Appearance-related concerns are central to the experiences of young people with psoriasis. Participants constructed their individual struggle (It and Me) in physical, emotional, motivational and intellectual terms. A strong sense of Us developed as participants recognized the value of meeting peers with psoriasis. This enabled groups to blame Them for their negative social experiences.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings are discussed in the context of literature around adolescence and appearance. It is suggested that the experience of negative social encounters in adolescence may have long-term implications for appearance anxiety specifically and self-esteem generally. The potential of peer support to improve these outcomes is considered.
Centre for Appearance Research, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. Fiona3.fox@uwe.ac.uk
Fiona E
FE
Fox
Nichola
N
Rumsey
Marianne
M
Morris
D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent