Prevalence and clinical characteristics of body dysmorphic disorder in adolescent inpatient psychiatric patients—a pilot study

Abstract

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is preoccupation with perceived body defects leading to distress and impairment in social functioning. Most of adolescent BDD literature has been done on patients within the outpatient setting with prior versions of DSM with dearth of information about BDD and comorbid psychiatric conditions among adolescents within the inpatient setting.

Aims: This pilot study evaluated the prevalence rate, clinical characteristics in adolescent BDD compared to non-BDD adolescents in a psychiatric in patient setting in addition to their comorbid issues like anxiety, OCD, ADHD and substance abuse.

Methods: Forty-five consecutively admitted adolescent patients participated with 17 meeting the DSM 5 criteria for BDD while 28 did not. Patients were asked four questions designed around the DSM-5 criteria for BDD after which they were asked to complete questionnaires like BDDQ child and adolescent version, BDDM, Multiaxial Anxiety Scale for Children, Children’s Depression Inventory, Y-BOCS and Vanderbilt ADHD rating scales.

Results: Seventeen participants had BDD. Mean age of BDD patients was 13.1 while non-BDD was 12.4. Male patients with BDD were seven (41%) while female BDD patients were 10 (58.8%). Anxiety, depression, OCD and substance use disorders were common comorbid diagnoses. Majority of patients in the BDD group classified their BDD as a severe problem with more BDD, patient’s considering suicide because of their BDD.

Discussion: BDD is present in adolescents admitted in inpatient psychiatric hospital with more female patients endorsing BDD versus their male counterparts. Patients with BDD are more likely to endorse more comorbid psychiatric issues such as anxiety, OCD, ADHD and substance abuse.

Keywords:

• Body dysmorphic disorder
• body preoccupation
• OCD
• body image

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mohammad Jafferany

Mohammad Jafferany is an Associate Professor at Central Michigan University. He is an international expert in psychodermatology. He is the co-author of the Psychocutaneous disorders section of Kaplan and Saddocks’ comprehensive textbook of psychiatry, 10th Edition.

Ferdnand C. Osuagwu

Ferdnand Osuagwu is a Child Psychiatrists who is a recipient of Diversity Leadership Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association in 2016. He also served as a member of the American Psychiatric Association Council on Children, Adolescents, and their Families from 2016-2018. He completed his general psychiatry residency at central Michigan University. His area of research interest is in psychodermatology. He is the co-author of the trichotillomania basic concepts section of the book titled Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder): Clinical Characteristics, Psychological Interventions and Emotional Effects.

Zaira Khalid

Zaira Khalid is a general psychiatry resident at Central Michigan University.

Thersilla Oberbarnscheidt

Thersilla Oberbarnscheidt is a general psychiatry resident at Central Michigan University.

Nikita Roy

Nikita Roy is a general psychiatry resident at Central Michigan University.