Associations between psychological test results and failure to proceed with bariatric surgery

The reasons why some patients who begin the presurgical process for bariatric surgery fail to complete the procedure are understudied. Previous research implies that psychological factors play a role.

To examine whether scores from baseline psychological testing incrementally predict failure to proceed with bariatric surgery beyond demographic information in patients' medical charts and data derived from a clinical interview.

Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute.

The sample (n = 1160) was mainly female (72.41%), middle aged (mean age = 46.07 yr, SD = 11.70) and of Caucasian descent (65.76%). Hierarchical logistic regressions were conducted to test the incremental validity of baseline Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form scores after controlling for information gathered from the psychological interview and medical charts. Relative risk ratios were calculated to reflect the clinical utility of the results.

In total, 27.16% of patients failed to proceed with bariatric surgery after 1 year or more after a recommendation for surgery from their psychological evaluations. Psychological test scores were substantially associated with failure to proceed with surgery and significantly accounted for up to 6% of additional variance after controlling for psychological interview variables and medical chart data. Elevated scores on Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form scales, such as anxiety and substance use, identify patients at up to 2.5 times greater risk for failing to proceed with bariatric surgery.

Objective psychological test data-notably, scale scores assessing for substance abuse, anxiety, and demoralization-add to information obtained from a clinical interview and medical records in identifying patients at risk for failing to proceed with bariatric surgery.