Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40673948›Full record

ArticleJournal of pediatric psychology2026

The Visible Difference Parenting Toolkit: development of an ACT-based intervention to improve the well-being of parents and caregivers of children with appearance-affecting conditions and injuries.

Maia Thornton, Heidi Williamson, Toity Deave, James Kiff, Diana Harcourt

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of pediatric psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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

5 authors.

Maia ThorntonCentre for Appearance Research, School of Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0003-3547-8840
Heidi WilliamsonCentre for Appearance Research, School of Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Toity DeaveCentre for Academic Child Health, School of Health and Social Wellbeing, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom.
James KiffOutlook Service, Clinical Health Psychology, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Diana HarcourtCentre for Appearance Research, School of Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom.

Funding

Charitable Trust FoundationUniversity of the West of EnglandVocational TrainingVocational Training and Charitable Trust Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesCaregivers of children with appearance-affecting conditions or injuries can experience common psychosocial challenges, regardless of the cause or nature of their child's visible difference. Despite these common challenges, there is a lack of evidence-based cross-condition support for caregivers of children with visible differences.

methodsA self-guided acceptance and commitment therapy-based e-book intervention was developed utilizing a Participatory Action Research approach. Twenty-two caregivers of children with a range of visible differences reviewed the full pilot e-book intervention and responded to an online acceptability survey.

resultsWhile several changes aimed at increasing the accessibility of the intervention materials were discussed, overall the feedback suggested that The Visible Difference Parenting Toolkit addressed an unmet support need. Both the content and the format of the intervention were found to be acceptable by parents, with ehealth Impact Questionnaire scores of >80. Participants recommended specific changes related to accessibility including adding features such as hyperlinks and a search bar to enable users to navigate the e-book.

conclusionsCaregivers reported that the content of The Visible Difference Parenting Toolkit was relevant to their lived experiences of caring for a child with a visible difference. Parents also reported that the presentation and format of The Visible Difference Parenting Toolkit was clear and accessible. The intervention addresses a previously unmet support need and is an acceptable intervention for caregivers of children with a visible difference.

Indexed as

CaregiversParentingParentsAdolescentAdultChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMaleMiddle Agedcaregiver functioningchronic illnessparent psychosocial functioningpsychosocial intervention

Identifiers

PMID40673948
PMCPMC13016643

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.