Adding self-help to skin camouflage - impact on social anxiety v3
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The addition of a self-help intervention to skin camouflage. A pilot study assessing social anxiety outcomes.
IRAS ID
127655
Contact name
Madeline Pasterfield
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Research and Development Department
Research summary
This is a preliminary, or pilot study, looking at levels of social confidence and social anxiety in people who have been referred to a skin camouflage clinic due to a visible skin condition or mark. Skin camouflage is a cream which is applied to the skin and designed blend in with the natural skin colour.
The first aim of the study is to see if standard skin camouflage improves people’s confidence in social situations. The second aim is to see if combining this with a self-help leaflet can improve social confidence over and above that of standard skin camouflage alone. The leaflet will be based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT self-help is an evidence based treatment for social anxiety and aims to help people increase their social confidence by changing their behaviour and thinking patterns.
Before beginning this study the leaflet will be reviewed by some skin camouflage practitioners for acceptability and usability.
This pilot study will be conducted at an NHS skin camouflage clinic and will aim to recruit 60 people. All those who are referred to the clinic will be eligible to take part as long as they are able to read English. All participants will be asked to fill in questionnaires about social anxiety, mood and quality of life before they attend their skin camouflage appointment. They will then be randomly assigned to either have standard skin camouflage treatment alone or standard treatment plus the self-help leaflet. Therefore, approximately 30 participants will be sent the self-help leaflet. Approximately 4 weeks later, all participants will be sent the questionnaires again to see if there has been any change in their levels of social confidence.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1533
Date of REC Opinion
30 Sep 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion