Childhood leukemia and body image: interview reveals impairment not found with a questionnaire

Twenty-eight adolescent leukemia survivors and 34 healthy controls were examined by means of a self-report questionnaire and a semi-structured face-to-face interview to appraise the quality of their body image. To protect against observer bias a blind-rater was used. The self-report inventory suggested that survivors have a perfectly normal body image, whereas in the interview 36% of the survivors were rated as having an impaired and 36% a diffuse, body image. The survivors' characteristic attitude towards their physical appearance--to evade the difficult issue--because evident when there were no ready answers from which to choose. Thus, in evaluating the impact of cancer on body image the choice of method of inquiry is vital.