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Interest in cosmetic surgery among Iranian women: the role of self-esteem, narcissism, and self-perceived attractiveness

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Abstract

Background

Examining psychological aspects of cosmetic surgery has gained considerable attention in the research literature, particularly among women. The present study aimed to examine the role of three self-worth variables including self-esteem, narcissism, and self-perceived attractiveness on interest in cosmetic surgery among Iranian women.

Methods

Three hundred women were selected and completed a set of measures including Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Single-Item Narcissism Scale, and self-perceived attractiveness. Pearson correlation coefficients and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used in statistical analyses.

Results

The results showed that participants were moderately interested in cosmetic surgery. Moreover, self-esteem and self-perceived attractiveness could significantly predict interest in cosmetic surgery. On the other hand, narcissism was not significantly correlated with interest in undergoing cosmetic surgery.

Conclusions

Findings support the notion that self-worth variables have a significant relationship with interest in cosmetic surgery. The present results are discussed in relation to previous evidence investigating the variables which are associated with interest in cosmetic surgery.

Level of Evidence: Level III, risk study

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic Surgery, 15th Khordad Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Abdoljalil Kalantar-Hormozi

  2. Department of Clinical Psychology, Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

    Ramin Jamali

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Atari

Authors
  1. Abdoljalil Kalantar-Hormozi
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  2. Ramin Jamali
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  3. Mohammad Atari
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Atari.

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Conflict of interest

Abdoljalil Kalantar-Hormozi, Ramin Jamali, and Mohammad Atari declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

This project was approved by the Institutional Review Board of 15th Khordad Hospital, Tehran, Iran. All procedures for this study were approved by the appropriate ethics committee and have therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

Patient consent

All participants gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. Moreover, details that might disclose the identity of the subjects under study were omitted.

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Kalantar-Hormozi, A., Jamali, R. & Atari, M. Interest in cosmetic surgery among Iranian women: the role of self-esteem, narcissism, and self-perceived attractiveness. Eur J Plast Surg 39, 359–364 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-016-1185-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-016-1185-7

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