Prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder, its clinical characteristics and psychiatric comorbidities in patients admitted to a plastic surgery outpatient clinic

Abstract

Purpose

The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), its clinical features, and comorbidities in patients applying for plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Method

Five-hundred and seventy nine participants who applied to the plastic and reconstructive surgery outpatient clinic completed a sociodemographic data form, and were subjected to the Body Perception Scale (seventy-nineBPS), Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS), TEMPS-A Temperament Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Participants who scored 135 or more on the BPS were included in a psychiatric interview. Next, the participants diagnosed with BDD were compared with participants with a high BPS scores but without a BDD diagnosis, along with a control group.

Results

The prevalence of BDD among all patients attending the plastic surgery outpatient clinic was found to be 4.7%, whereas the prevalence was 8.6% among those specifically seeking cosmetic procedures. The mean SAAS, BDI, TEMPS-A depressive, and anxious scores were higher in the BDD group compared to the controls (p < 0.001). The difference in the mean SAAS, BDI, TEMPS-A depressive, and anxious scores of the patients with a high BPS scores and the control group was comparable to the difference observed between the BDD and control groups. A regression analysis revealed that the SAAS and depressive temperament scores have an effect on the BPS score.

Conclusion

The significantly high comorbidity of BDD in patients seeking plastic and reconstructive surgery underscores the importance of identifying these patients to prevent unnecessary surgical procedures.

Keywords:

• Body dysmorphic disorder
• plastic and reconstructive surgery
• clinical features
• temperament

Acknowledgments

We thank all the patients and their family members.

Ethical approval

Ethics committee approval was received for the study from the Ethics Committee of Necmettin Erbakan University (2019/2195) and all procedures were carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and local laws and regulation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The database is available and can be shared in full upon request.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Fadime Şimşek

Fadime Şimşek, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, Konya Numune Hospital, Konya, Turkey.

Nazmiye Kaya

Nazmiye Kaya, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.

Zeynep Altuntaş

Zeynep Altuntaş, Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.

Şakir Gıca

Şakir Gıca, M.D., Assoc. Prof. of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.