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Psychological Features in a German Sample of Female Cosmetic Surgery Candidates

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Abstract

Background

Psychological processes are vitally important to understanding the rationale for cosmetic surgery. This study focused on three core psychological issues (self-esteem, body image, and psychopathology) in its investigation of patients undergoing cosmetic surgery preoperatively. Furthermore, it aimed to provide some data especially for a German sample of female cosmetic surgery patients concerning this subject.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was used to investigate and compare a sample of female cosmetic surgery candidates (n = 35) and a nonsurgical control group (n = 35) matched for central sociodemographic features (gender, region, confession) and controlled for age. These factors are known as covariates of body image. All psychological features were assessed by widely used self-report measures: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Evaluation of the Own Body Questionnaire (FBeK), and the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL 90-R).

Results

The results indicate no statistically significant differences between the two groups in any of the scores, except for the FBeK Accentuation of the Body subscale.

Conclusions

According to the findings, this lack of evidence for group differences in general psychosocial scales corresponds widely to findings of other empirical studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Clinic and Policlinic of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Department, Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Saarstr. 21, D-55099, Mainz, F.R.G., Germany

    Holger Mühlan

  2. Institute of Plastic, Hand, and Reconstructive Surgery, Caritas Hospital “St. Josef” Regensburg, Landshuter Str. 65, D-93053, Regensburg, F.R.G., Germany

    Marita Eisenmann-Klein

  3. Institute and Clinic of Medical Psychology, Centre of Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, S 35, D-20246, Hamburg-Eppendorf, F.R.G., Germany

    Silke Schmidt

Authors
  1. Holger Mühlan
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  2. Marita Eisenmann-Klein
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  3. Silke Schmidt
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Correspondence to Holger Mühlan.

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Mühlan, H., Eisenmann-Klein, M. & Schmidt, S. Psychological Features in a German Sample of Female Cosmetic Surgery Candidates. Aesth Plast Surg 31, 746–751 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-006-0211-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-006-0211-8

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