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Overweight/Obese Patients Referring to Plastic Surgery: Temperament and Personality Traits

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Abstract

Background

Correlations between psychiatric disorders and overweight/obesity are reported in the literature. However, temperament/personality traits have been less frequently studied even though the correlation with Axis-1 diseases is well defined. The present study aims to detect correlations between psychiatric disorders, temperament traits and body image perception in overweight and obese patients who seek surgical lipostructuring treatment.

Methods

Seventy overweight/obese patients (age 18–60 years, BMI 25–34.9 at recruitment) referring to the outpatient service for obesity-related lipodystrophism were enrolled in the period March 2008–March 2012. Psychiatric disorders, temperament traits, and body image perception were evaluated and compared with a control group (N = 33) from the general population sharing clinical/demographic features.

Results

Patients had higher scores in lifetime depression, with moderate/mild concern with body shape. Regarding personality traits, tests revealed higher scores on subscale RD4 (dependence/independence) in patients, whereas controls scored higher on the “openness to experience” NEO Five Factory Inventory sub-scale. Obese patients had a higher prevalence of obsessive characteristics.

Conclusions

The affective sphere is an important feature in obese patients, as are obsessive traits, since negative body shape perception and temperament and personality characteristics appear to be involved in leading patients to seek surgical advice. These aspects should be involved in medical/surgical outcomes and compliance with treatment. The future possibility of identifying patients who show alterations in these traits or psychic characteristics may represent a possible instrument to avoid early post-treatment relapse and to implement the service offered to patients, with appropriate psychiatric care before and after surgery.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychiatric Clinic, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Chiara Pavan, Mariafrancesca Azzi & Massimo Marini

  2. Institute of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Luca Lancerotto, Franco Bassetto & Vincenzo Vindigni

  3. Bariatric Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Luca Busetto

  4. Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, Clinic of Psychiatry, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35100, Padova, Italy

    Chiara Pavan

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  1. Chiara Pavan
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  2. Mariafrancesca Azzi
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Correspondence to Chiara Pavan.

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Pavan, C., Azzi, M., Lancerotto, L. et al. Overweight/Obese Patients Referring to Plastic Surgery: Temperament and Personality Traits. OBES SURG 23, 437–445 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-012-0769-y

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