Society's Perceptions of Visibly Burned Adults and the Implications for Occupational Therapy

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate public perceptions of the visibly burned adult (face, neck and hands) using an experimental design. The methodology involved two groups of subjects (n=20) rating five pictures of women for the personality traits of attractiveness, sense of humour, intelligence and sociability. Both groups rated the same pictures, except that one group saw a picture of a woman before a facial burn while the other group had this picture substituted for one of the same woman after the facial burn. The results supported the hypothesis that ‘adults with visible burns are perceived significantly less favourably than those without visible burns’ for each of the personality traits except intelligence. The discussion analyses these results further, comparing them with past studies on disfigurement and suggesting some implications that such stigmatisation may have for occupational therapy. Clients need to be assisted not only in coming to terms with trauma and personal loss, but also in learning to adapt psychologically to the negative perception society has towards people with visible disfigurement.