title: Self- and social perception of physical appearance in chest wall deformity.
abstract: This study analyzes self- and social perception of physical appearance in patients with chest wall deformity (CWD), including both pectus carinatum and pectus excavatum. Self-perception of appearance in 76 patients with CWD and social perception of patients' appearance by 20 adult and 20 adolescent raters was assessed using the Appearance Rating Scale (Stangier et al., 2000) and evaluated for agreement and multivariate correlates. Results indicate no agreement between self- and social rating. Based on mean scores patients rated their appearance significantly more negatively than adult raters but only slightly different than adolescent raters. Adolescent raters' judgment of the patients' appearance was related to CWD characteristics, while self-rating rather seems to be related to psychosocial factors. Because adolescents are a relevant peer group for adolescent patients with CWD their evaluation of the appearance might influence patients' self-image and might affect their psychological functioning. Effective interventions focusing on social interactions are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany. stefanie.krille@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krille
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Steinmann
authors.forename: Bertram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reingruber
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001828:Body Image; D005660:Funnel Chest / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009139:Musculoskeletal Abnormalities / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000002:abnormalities*; D055815:Young Adult