Psychological Profile of Bariatric Surgery Candidates: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study aimed to examine the relational roles of childhood trauma, parental care, and coping strategies in bariatric surgery candidates with respect to depressive symptoms and general psychopathology levels in adulthood, employing a comprehensive theoretical model.

The study sample comprised 118 bariatric surgery candidates (mean age = 37.55 ± 10.36; 88.0% female) who had been referred to a clinical center and received a diagnosis of clinical obesity. Participants completed the Sociodemographic and Clinical Information Questionnaire, CTQ-SF, COPE, SF-36, RSE (Parental Interest Subscale), BDI, and SCL-90-R.

No statistically significant association was observed between body mass index and any of the psychosocial variables included in the study. The model evaluating predictors of general mental health symptoms accounted for 66% of the total variance. Statistically significant predictors within this model included depression, childhood trauma, coping strategies, and parental interest. In a separate model predicting depression, parental interest emerged as the sole statistically significant predictor. Notably, 83.8% of participants reported a history of at least one prior suicide attempt.

These findings underscore the importance of systematically assessing these factors to inform and enhance personalized intervention strategies for bariatric surgery candidates.