Screening for Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Plastic Surgery Patients.

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Psychiatry
• Medical Regulations

Background:

• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) mandates BDD screening for cosmetic surgery patients.
• Surgeons must use validated psychological screening tools for assessment.
• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) significantly impacts patient selection for cosmetic procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss clinical characteristics of BDD.
• To review validated BDD screening tools for cosmetic surgery practices.
• To identify tools meeting AHPRA regulatory requirements.

Main Methods:

• Literature search for validated BDD screening tools in cosmetic surgery settings.
• Screening of 1164 titles, with 229 abstracts reviewed.
• Identification of six studies validating BDD screening tools.

Main Results:

• Six validated screening tools identified: BDDQ, BDDQ-DV, BDDQ-AS, COPS, BDSS, and BDD-ST.
• The BDD Questionnaire Aesthetic Surgery (BDDQ-AS) was selected for its validation and ease of use.
• BDDQ-AS is a seven-item self-report questionnaire, completable in 1-2 minutes.

Conclusions:

• BDDQ-AS is a suitable choice for meeting AHPRA's BDD screening requirements.
• Current tools are based on DSM-IV; development of DSM-V-based tools is recommended.
• Future tools should focus on repetitive physical or mental behaviors associated with BDD.