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Psychosocial Functioning of Bariatric Surgery Patients 6-Years Postoperative

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Abstract

Introduction

Mental health professionals routinely assess psychosocial risk factors prior to bariatric surgery to help identify factors that may impede surgical outcomes. Data regarding longer-term psychosocial functioning postoperatively are needed.

Purpose

Assess the psychosocial functioning of patients who obtained bariatric surgery approximately 6 years ago.

Methods

A total of 161 patients consented to participate in the outcome study. Participants were compensated for their time and participation. Participants were weighed by the research/clinical staff and asked to complete a battery of self-report measures, including the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Other measures targeted adherence, eating behaviors/body image, alcohol use, and quality of life.

Results

Postoperative MMPI-2-RF scores indicate psychosocial functioning is largely similar to previously published pre-surgical functioning data. Six-year weight loss outcomes were lower than previous studies reported for a similar postoperative time period (mean %total weight loss = 22.98%; standard deviation = 11.71), though quality of life scores were relatively high. Postoperative MMPI-2-RF scale scores were associated with poorer psychosocial functioning, reduced adherence, greater eating behaviors/body image concerns, greater alcohol use severity, lower quality of life, and less overall weight loss.

Conclusions

Psychological dysfunction 6 years after surgery is associated with various adverse outcomes. Ongoing, postoperative treatment may result in better long-term functioning for patients.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical, Health, and Applied Sciences, University of Houston-Clear Lake, Houston, TX, 77058, USA

    Ryan J. Marek

  2. Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA

    Katy Martin-Fernandez & Yossef S. Ben-Porath

  3. Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, 9500 Euclid Avenue/M61, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA

    Leslie J. Heinberg

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  1. Ryan J. Marek
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  2. Katy Martin-Fernandez
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  3. Yossef S. Ben-Porath
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  4. Leslie J. Heinberg
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryan J. Marek.

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Conflict of Interest

Yossef Ben-Porath is a paid consultant to the MMPI-2-RF publisher, the University of Minnesota and Distributor, Pearson. As co-author of the MMPI-2-RF, he receives royalties on sales of the test. Ryan Marek received research funding from the University of Minnesota Press, Society for Personality Assessment, and APA Division 12, Section IX to collect data presented in this study.

Ethical Approval Statement

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Marek, R.J., Martin-Fernandez, K., Ben-Porath, Y.S. et al. Psychosocial Functioning of Bariatric Surgery Patients 6-Years Postoperative. OBES SURG 31, 712–724 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-020-05025-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-020-05025-x

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