Psychosocial development and corrective shoewear use in childhood

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Pediatrics
• Social Sciences

Background:

• Childhood shoe modifications were previously considered for orthopedic reasons.
• Prior studies indicated the ineffectiveness and lack of necessity for these interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term psychosocial consequences of wearing modified shoes during childhood.
• To compare self-esteem and self-image between adults with and without a history of childhood shoe modifications.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study comparing 46 adults who wore modified shoes in childhood with 92 adult controls.
• Subjective report questionnaires were used to gather data on the childhood experience.

Main Results:

• Adults who wore modified shoes in childhood reported significantly lower self-esteem compared to controls (p < 0.05).
• The treated group recalled negative experiences, including decreased self-image (41%), viewing the experience negatively (57%), being teased (47%), and activity limitations (41%).

Conclusions:

• Childhood shoe modifications represent a negative experience associated with reduced adult self-esteem.
• These findings suggest that children subjected to modified footwear may exhibit characteristics associated with vulnerable child syndrome.