Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39358827›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of health psychology2025

A multi-centre prospective cohort study investigating the roles of psychological flexibility and self-compassion in appearance concerns after burn injuries.

Laura Shepherd, Fuschia M Sirois, Diana Harcourt, Paul Norman, David Aaron, Kate Adkins, Anna Cartwright, Emma Hodgkinson, Nicola Murphy, Andrew R Thompson

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of health psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Laura ShepherdNottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0205-6596
Fuschia M SiroisDurham University, Durham, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-0927-277X
Diana HarcourtUniversity of the West of England, Bristol, UK.
Paul NormanUniversity of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
David AaronThe Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, Wakefield, UK.
Kate AdkinsSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
Anna CartwrightBuckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Aylesbury, UK.
Emma HodgkinsonThe Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK.
Nicola MurphySwansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea, UK.
Andrew R ThompsonCardiff and Vale University Health Board and Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6788-7222

Funding

National Institute for Health and Care Research NIHR300282
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAppearance concerns following burn injuries are common. Psychological factors are important in maintaining such concerns. However, there is a lack of longitudinal or prospective research investigating their development. This study investigated whether psychological flexibility and self-compassion at hospital admission predicted subsequent appearance concerns.

designA multi-centre prospective cohort study across six burn services.

methodsAdults (n = 175; 67% male) in hospital following burn injuries were recruited. Questionnaires measuring appearance concerns, psychological flexibility, self-compassion, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and perceived noticeability were completed during hospital admission and two- and six-months later. Demographic and burn injury information was collected.

resultsCorrelational analyses showed that increased psychological flexibility and self-compassion at admission were associated with decreased appearance concerns cross-sectionally and prospectively at two- and six-month follow-up. These associations remained significant when controlling for key covariates (i.e. gender, age, ethnicity, percentage total body surface area burnt, perceived noticeability, PTSD symptoms). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that psychological flexibility and self-compassion predicted appearance concerns during hospital admission. Although psychological flexibility significantly predicted appearance concerns over time, it became non-significant when controlling for baseline appearance concerns.

conclusionsPsychological flexibility has a protective role against appearance concerns soon after burn injuries, although this protective role is reduced when accounting for baseline appearance concerns. Early interventions targeting psychological flexibility (i.e. acceptance and commitment therapy) may be beneficial after burns if adapted to address appearance-related concerns.

Indexed as

BurnsEmpathySelf ConceptAdaptation, PsychologicalAdultAgedBody ImageCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPhysical Appearance, BodyProspective StudiesStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticSurveys and Questionnairesappearancebody imageburninjurypsychological flexibilityself‐compassion

Identifiers

PMID39358827
PMCPMC11586807

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.