Background:
Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is a disease that causes tumors to grow along the nerves. These include plexiform neurofibromas (pNF) and cutaneous neurofibromas (cNF). Both pNF and cNF can be visible to other people. These tumors can affect a person s appearance and quality of life. Researchers want to be able to assess changes in appearance before and after treatment for NF1 tumors.
Objective:
To see if two questionnaires can help assess people s ratings about the appearance of their pNF and cNF tumors.
Eligibility:
People aged 8 years and older with pNF and people 12 years and older either with cNF or both pNF and cNF. Adult caregivers of children with pNF and cNF are also needed.
Design:
Participants will complete questionnaires on paper or by phone, computer, or tablet. They will answer questions about how they look, how they feel, and how they feel about the way they look.
Participants will meet in at least 1 remote focus group or individual interview. The meeting will last about 1 hour. Each group will include 3 to 5 people, organized by age: 8 to 11 years, 12 to 17 years, 18 to 29 years, and over 30 years. Adult caregivers will meet in a group with other caregivers.
They will discuss their NF1 symptoms; how their tumors look; how they feel about the way their tumors look; and their daily activities. They will give their opinions about 2 questionnaires about appearance.
The group and individual meetings will be audio-recorded and transcribed. Information that can reveal individual identities will be removed.
Participants must self-report a diagnosis of NF1 OR be the caregiver of a child with NF1 (5-17 years old with plexiform neurofibroma [pNF] or 12-17 years old with cutaneous neurofibroma [cNF])
Participants with NF1 must self-report a pNF and/or cNF tumor(s) that is visible to that individual OR others
Caregivers of a child with NF1 must report a pNF and/or cNF tumor(s) that the child has that is visible to the child OR others
>= 8 years old (participants with pNF)
Physical or cognitive limitations that would prevent them from being able to participate in a focus group or interview, or unwillingness to do so
Since we will aim to have no less than 25 percent of participants from underrepresented* groups, individuals from represented groups may not be able to participate after we have reached the maximum target for represented groups. Consistent with best practices for scale development and validation, this will help ensure that the measures are appropriate for people from a variety of backgrounds.
If saturation has been met within a particular age group, potential participants from that completed age group will no longer be eligible.