A single-armed pilot study to evaluate a psychosocial intervention for young people who have experienced a burn injury: The wellbeing study
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Children with serious burns often suffer psychosocial consequences. This study evaluated the pilot of a 6-session psychoeducational intervention newly designed to support the wellbeing of children who experienced burns. Each 1-h session was delivered online to individuals at times deemed convenient to participants, by trained facilitators (mental health researchers and other allied health professionals). The pilot was single-arm, with psychosocial screening administered at baseline, immediately postintervention, and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Eligible participants were 6-17 years, 6-week to 2-year postburn, the burn must be nonintentional, without cognitive disability or existing mental health concerns in themselves or their parents. Interviews postintervention explored acceptability. Overall, 27 young people were recruited; 12 started and completed the intervention, but 8 young people were lost to follow-up by the end of the follow-up period. Results from the problem and syndrome subscales of the Youth Self-Report (YSR) and the Child Behavior Checklist showed that group medians did not significantly change over the postintervention follow-up period. The individual-based characteristics showed that some young people improved on 1-3 YSR subscales (n = 3), stagnated (n = 3), and 2 young people started within clinical ranges while showing deterioration throughout the follow-up period. The results indicate some benefit to the young people but further investigation is required to ascertain the Wellbeing Program’s effectiveness in improving the psychosocial outcomes of young people who have sustained a burn injury.
Keywords
medical trauma, posttraumatic growth, psychosocial intervention, psychosocial recovery, wellbeing
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
7-1-2026
ISSN
1559047X
Volume
47
Issue
4
PubMed ID
41810870
Publication Title
Journal of Burn Care & Research
Publisher
Oxford Academic
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
99570
Funding Information
This study was funded by the Telethon Trust Grant 2021. A.W., H.M., and R.P. are also supported by Embrace at The Kids Research Institute Australia.
Copyright
subscription content
Content Type
Metadata only
First Page
1096
Last Page
1105
Recommended Citation
Paciente, R., Hanna, N., Van Rensburg, E. J., McGivern, L., Milroy, H., Martin, L., Wood, F., Lombardi, K., Ohan, J. L., English, M. C. W., & Woolard, A. (2026). A single-armed pilot study to evaluate a psychosocial intervention for young people who have experienced a burn injury: The wellbeing study. Journal of Burn Care & Research, 47(4), 1096–1105. https://doi.org/10.1093/jbcr/irag041