Body Dysmorphic Disorder in aesthetic rhinoplasty: Validating a new screening tool.

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Psychiatry
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition characterized by obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in appearance.
• Aesthetic rhinoplasty patients are a population at risk for BDD, necessitating validated screening tools.
• Early identification of BDD can guide treatment and potentially improve surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire-Aesthetic Surgery (BDDQ-AS) as a screening tool for BDD in patients seeking aesthetic rhinoplasty.
• To assess the reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of the BDDQ-AS.
• To evaluate the BDDQ-AS's predictive value for post-rhinoplasty satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A prospective instrument validation study was conducted in an academic rhinology clinic.
• The seven-item BDDQ-AS was administered to 116 patients undergoing aesthetic rhinoplasty.
• Construct and concurrent validity were assessed using established scales (Sheehan Disability Scale, Derriford Appearance Scale-59, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for BDD).

Main Results:

• The BDDQ-AS demonstrated adequate reliability (Cronbach alpha = .83-.84) with high sensitivity (89.6%) and specificity (81.4%).
• BDDQ-AS-positive patients exhibited greater daily life impairment, appearance-related distress, and more severe BDD symptoms.
• Patients screening positive for BDD on the BDDQ-AS reported significantly lower satisfaction 12 months after rhinoplasty.

Conclusions:

• The BDDQ-AS is a validated and reliable screening tool for identifying body dysmorphic disorder in the aesthetic rhinoplasty population.
• The BDDQ-AS effectively differentiates patients with BDD, who experience greater distress and lower surgical satisfaction.
• This tool can aid clinicians in identifying at-risk individuals, potentially improving patient care and outcomes in aesthetic surgery.