Body image and social attitude in growth-hormone-deficient adults

This study was done to evaluate the perception of body image and psychosocial attitudes in a sample of 8 male adult subjects with growth-hormone deficit before and after six months of therapy. Before treatment the subjects tended to underestimate body size and were characterized by low self-esteem, a closed attitude towards social relationships, a pessimistic attitude with a tendency towards depression, and a strong sense of detachment from the outside world. After the treatment, even if the subjects continued to underestimate body size, we observed an improvement in terms of emotional control and well-being, accompanied by lower scores on anxiety. An integration of a psychological support in the GH therapy could help the patients to overcome problems of bodily and social acceptance.