Table 4.
Themes related to stress and coping: categories, codes, sub-codes, and frequencies
| Category | Code | Sub-codes | Frequency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | ||||
| Stress | Functional limitations | Music | 9 | 27 | |
| Sports | 10 | 30 | |||
| Writing | 10 | 30 | |||
| Clothing and grooming | 19 | 58 | |||
| Typing | 7 | 21 | |||
| Utensils | 3 | 9 | |||
| Household chores | 12 | 36 | |||
| Total | 20 | 61 | |||
| Aesthetic appearance | Scarring | 6 | 19 | ||
| Deviation | 7 | 21 | |||
| Hair growth | 1 | 3 | |||
| Total | 9 | 27 | |||
| Social | Meeting new people | 10 | 30 | ||
| Disclosing differences | 12 | 36 | |||
| Stigmatization | 7 | 21 | |||
| Bullying | 7 | 21 | |||
| Alienation | 5 | 15 | |||
| Teasing | 13 | 39 | |||
| Total | 19 | 58 | |||
| Emotional reactions | Frustration | 4 | 12 | ||
| Anxiety | 2 | 6 | |||
| Embarrassment | 2 | 6 | |||
| Self-consciousness | 11 | 33 | |||
| Total | 15 | 46 | |||
| Coping | Humor | 4 | 12 | ||
| Self-acceptance | Viewing hands as “special/cool” | 7 | 21 | ||
| Avoidance | Avoiding social situations | 3 | 9 | ||
| Ignoring specific peers | 4 | 12 | |||
| Ignoring questions | 7 | 21 | |||
| Seeking emotional support | Seeking parent support | 6 | 18 | ||
| Seeking peer support | 5 | 15 | |||
| Seeking family/sibling support | 6 | 18 | |||
| Seeking authority figure support | 5 | 15 | |||
| Concealment | Hiding hands | 10 | 30 | ||
| Avoiding hand contact | 2 | 6 | |||
| Education | Educating peers or teachers | 3 | 9 | ||
| Support programs | 7 | 21 | |||
| Religion/spirituality | 8 | 24 | |||
| Total | 17 | 52 | |||