Development and EValuation of an Online Intervention to Reduce Self-Stigma in People With Visible Chronic Skin disEases

Evaluated with the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS) - adapted for skin disease. The scale includes 10 items with a Likert-type response scale ranging from 1 to 7 and provides a total sum score ranging from 10 to 70, with higher scores indicating higher internalization of stigma and biases associated with own skin disease.

Evaluated with the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index. The instrument includes 8 items assessing overall QOL, general health, energy, daily life activities, esteem, relationships, finances, and home environment, to be scored on a 5-point Likert scale. A total score is generated, with higher scores indicating better quality of life.

Evaluated with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), which includes 10 items, to be answered on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 ("not at all"/ "not relevant") to 3 ("very much"). A total sum score ranging from 0 to 30 is computed, with higher scores indicating larger impairments. According to the Hongbo classification, DLQI scores > 10 are considered as large or extremely large impairments on patients' life.

Evaluated with the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), which is a validated screening measure for diagnosing and monitoring depression. The response scale ranges from 0 ("not at all") to 3 ("nearly every day"); the sum score ranges from 0 to 27 and a cut-off point ≥ 10 has showed maximized sensitivity and specificity to detect major depression.

Evaluated with the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), which is a brief validated instrument to screen for anxiety disorders. It comprises seven items that represent core anxiety symptoms. The response scale ranges from 0 ("not at all") to 3 ("nearly every day"); the 7 items can be summed into a total score ranging from 0 to 21, with scores ≥ 10 indicating high likelihood of clinical anxiety disorders.

Evaluated with Paykel's Suicidal Feelings in the General Population Questionnaire, which is one of the most widely used measures of suicidal ideation in different populations, including medical settings. It comprises 5 questions about life-weariness, death wishes, and suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts, to be answered in a yes/no response scale. A "yes"-response to questions 3 to 5 indicates the presence of suicidal ideation.

Measured through general statistics of website utilization (e.g., time spent on each session). Durations of individuals sessions of > 45 minutes are considered not feasible for implementation.

Measured through dropout rate.

Evaluated with the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire Adapted to Internet-Based Interventions (CSQ-I), which includes 8 questions on a Likert scale of 1 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction.

Evaluated with an ad hoc questionnaire that comprises 5 questions about the general acceptability of the website. Respondents are asked to answer the questions on a 4-point Likert scale, where higher scores represent higher acceptability.

Evaluated with the Inclusion of Illness in the Self (IIS) scale. Respondents indicate in a single item the degree to which their illness is integrated into their self-concept. The higher the IIS score, the greater patients felt they internalized their illness.

Evaluated with the subscales avoidance (8 items) and positive rational acceptance (11 items) of the Body Image Coping Strategies Inventory (BICSI). The 19 items are answered in a Likert-type response scale ranging from 0 to 3, and an average score is calculated for each subscale, with higher scores indicating more frequent use of the specific coping strategy.

Evaluated with the Appearance Orientation Subscale of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ-AO). This subscale includes 2 items, to be answered on a 5-point Likert scale. The average score for the subscale is computed, with higher scores indicating more appearance concerns.

Evaluated with the Cutaneous Body Image Scale (CBIS), which comprises 7 items, to be rated on a response scale from 0 ("not at all") to 9 ("very markedly"). A composite score is derived from the mean ratings of the seven items, where a high score is indicative of greater satisfaction with cutaneous body image: score < 3 = severe dissatisfaction; 3-6 = moderate dissatisfaction; > 6 = mild to no dissatisfaction.

Evaluated with the short version of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), which includes 12 items, to be answered in a 5-point response scale ranging from 1 ("Almost never") to 5 ("Almost always"). Mean scores can be computed for six subscales - Self-Kindness, Self-Judgment (reversed scoring), Common Humanity, Isolation (reversed scoring), Mindfulness, and Over-identification (reversed scoring), as well as a total self-compassion score that results from the average of the six subscale mean scores, with higher scores indicating higher levels of self-compassion.

Evaluated with an ad hoc questionnaire that comprises 3 questions tapping into whether the session just completed was interesting, easy to understand, and personally helpful. Respondents are asked to answer the questions on a 5-point Likert scale, where higher scores represent greater agreement.