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Group develops, validates scleroderma body concealment scale
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A new scleroderma body concealment scale has been developed by the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group as an index of social avoidance by patients with systemic sclerosis, according to a recently published report.
“Concerns about appearance are particularly salient among people with visible differences from injury or illness,” the researchers wrote. “Many people with acquired disfigurement from injury or illness have difficulty achieving healthy social interactions, and some experience negative interpersonal relations due to their different appearance.”
Lisa Jewett
Researchers developed the Body Concealment Scale for Scleroderma (BCSS) based on modifications to the Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire (BIAQ). The BCSS had 13 questions, including three from the BIAQ that focused on body concealment, such as comfort wearing a bathing suit; wearing clothing perceived to divert others from noticing skin changes due to systemic sclerosis (SSc); wearing gloves or other concealment devices; or wearing clothing they did not like to cover skin changes. Responses were rated on a zero-to-five scale.
Ninety-three patients who underwent treatment for SSc at the Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center completed the BCSS and other questionnaires, including the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Brief-Satisfaction with Appearance Scale (Brief-SWAP). In addition, 742 participants in the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group were included in the validation sample.
Analysis showed a Cronbach’s alpha score of 0.88 for the BCSS, and correlation was observed with the Concealment with Clothing and Concealment of Hands and Social Discomfort subscale scores on the Brief-SWAP. Moderate correlations were observed with the CES-D, MPQ and PHQ-9.
“Visual manifestations of SSc are associated with greater body image dissatisfaction and social discomfort, poorer appearance self-esteem, more depressive symptoms and reduced overall psychosocial functioning,” according to the researchers. - by Shirley Pulawski
Disclosures: Jewett reports support by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research doctoral research award. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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