Body dysmorphic disorder screening in maxillofacial outpatients presenting for orthognathic surgery

• Published in: International journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery Vol. 37; no. 11; pp. 985 - 991
• Main Authors: Vulink, N.C.C, Rosenberg, A, Plooij, J.M, Koole, R, Bergé, S.J, Denys, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; body dysmorphic disorder; Body Image; Child; Dentistry; Female; Humans; Male; Malocclusion - psychology; Malocclusion - surgery; maxillofacial; Maxillofacial Abnormalities - psychology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Netherlands; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Prevalence; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Self-Assessment; somatoform disorders; Somatoform Disorders - diagnosis; Somatoform Disorders - epidemiology; Somatoform Disorders - psychology; Somatoform disorders. Psychosomatics; Surgery; Surgery, Oral - psychology; Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome - psychology; Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome - surgery; Young Adult; Netherlands; body dysmorphic disorder; somatoform disorders; maxillofacial; Human; Treatment; Stomatology; Surgery; Maxillofacial; Somatoform disorder; Ambulatory; Dysmorphophobia; Medical screening
• ISSN: 0901-5027; 1399-0020
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijom.2008.06.005

Abstract Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a severe psychiatric disease with delusions about defects in appearance for which patients seek surgical help. This is the first European study to determine the half-year prevalence of BDD in a maxillofacial outpatient clinic. A total of 160 patients with maxillofacial problems completed a validated self-report questionnaire, while a staff member scored maxillofacial defects on a severity scale. Twenty-eight (17%) patients had excessive concerns about their appearance, which negatively influenced their psychosocial functioning; 16 patients (10%; 95%CI 5–15%) screened positive for BDD. The high prevalence of problems related to psychosocial functioning and the occurrence of BDD in maxillofacial patients means that maxillofacial surgeons should take psychological concerns about physical defects into account.