Childhood Burn Survivors' and Their Siblings' Perceptions of Their Body Image

•Examined was how visible changes in appearance govern siblings' perceptions of body image (BI) in the child with major burn injuries.•Findings were grouped as internal to the person (self-esteem, and personality type) and external to the person (social environment and interpersonal experiences).•Findings suggest that the child with major burn injuries focused on developing a positive BI satisfaction.•Needed is research to understand how this occurs despite often very visible changes in appearances.

A mixed-method, qualitative dominant design was implemented to understand how visible changes in appearance, and function, govern childhood burn survivors' and their siblings' perceptions of their body image (BI). Thirteen cases (n = 21 participants) contributed to this analysis. Each “case” represented a family unit. Findings were internal to the person (grouped as self-esteem, and personality type). Other findings were external to the person (grouped as the social environment and interpersonal experiences of the siblings). Findings suggest that the children focused on developing a positive BI satisfaction. Research is needed to better understand how this occurs despite visible appearance changes.