From survival to socialization: A longitudinal study of body image in survivors of severe burn injury

Abstract Objective Little is known about the course of body image dissatisfaction following disfiguring injury or illness. The objective of this study was to test a proposed framework for understanding the trajectory of body image dissatisfaction among burn survivors and to longitudinally investigate the role of body image in overall psychosocial functioning. Methods A sample of 79 survivors of severe burn injuries completed the Satisfaction with Appearance Scale (SWAP), the Importance of Appearance subscale of the Multidimensional Body–Self Relations Questionnaire, and the SF-36 in the hospital and at 6 and 12 months postdischarge (SWAP and SF-36). A repeated-measures analysis of covariance model was used to assess the course of body image dissatisfaction over time, and a path analysis model tested the role of body image dissatisfaction in mediating the relationship between preburn and postburn psychosocial functioning. Results Female sex ( P