A Comparative Clinical-Psychological Study of Women Undergoing Surgical Alteration of Appearance and Women with Eating Disorders
- Authors: Shloido D.E.1,2
-
Affiliations:
- Saint-Petersburg State University
- Association of Eating Disorders Specialists
- Issue: No 95 (2025)
- Pages: 96-105
- Section: Discussion club. Psychotherapy. Medical psychology
- URL: https://bakhtiniada.ru/0132-182X/article/view/353187
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.25016/2782-652X-2025-0-95-96-105
- ID: 353187
Cite item
Full Text
Abstract
Background. Clinical-psychological characteristics of women who alter their appearance surgically and women with symptoms of eating disorders (EDs) are rarely examined in a comparative framework. This article presents the results of an empirical study aimed at comparing body image perception, self-attitude, and severity of psychopathological symptoms in women undergoing cosmetic surgery and in women with symptoms of EDs.
Materials and Methods. The study included 74 women with a history of cosmetic surgery (mean age 37±8.27 years) and 41 women with symptoms of EDs (mean age 31.5±9.65 years). All participants completed an online survey. The following instruments were employed for data collection: the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R; L. Derogatis, R. Lipman, L. Covi, 1977; adapted by N.V. Tarabrina), the Self-Attitude Questionnaire (S.R. Panteleev, V.V. Stolin, 1988), the Body Image Questionnaire (O.A. Skugarevsky, S.V. Sivukha, 2006), the Appearance-Based Rejection Sensitivity Scale (Park, 2007; adapted by A.Yu. Razvalyaeva, N.A. Polskaya), the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory (BIQLI; Cash & Fleming, 2002; adapted by L.T. Baranskaya et al.), the Value Orientations Method (O.I. Motkov, T.A. Ogneva, 2008), and an author-designed questionnaire.
Results and Analysis. In both groups, appearance was identified as an important value. However, women with disordered eating reported lower self-esteem, higher severity of psychopathological symptoms, greater body image dissatisfaction, and heightened sensitivity to appearance-based rejection. They also demonstrated a pronounced negative impact of body image perceptions on quality of life and psychological well-being.
Conclusion. The findings highlight the importance of psychological assessment aimed at identifying potential contraindications for cosmetic surgery.
About the authors
D. E. Shloido
Saint-Petersburg State University; Association of Eating Disorders Specialists
Author for correspondence.
Email: dina.shloydo@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8314-758X
postgraduate student 7-9, Universitetskaya Emb., St. Petersburg, Russia; 14, Martynovskaya Str., St. Petersburg, Russia
References
- Baranskaya L. T., Tkachenko A. E., Tataurova S. S. Adaptatsiya metodiki issledovaniya obrazatela v klinicheskoi psikhologii [Adaptation of the body image research method in clinical psychology]. Obrazovanie i nauka [Education and Science]. 2008; (3): 63–69. (In Russ.)
- Labunskaya V. A. Otnoshenie k vneshnemu obliku, ego tsennost’ i znachimost’ kak faktory sub”ektivnogo blagopoluchiya molodykh lyudei [Attitude to appearance, its value and significance as factors of subjective wellbeing of young people]. Sotsial’naya psikhologiya i obshchestvo [Social Psychology and Society]. 2019; 10(3): 51–66. doi: 10.17759/sps.2019100304. (In Russ.)
- Motkov O. I., Ogneva T. A. Metodika «Tsennostnye orientatsii» [The "Value Orientations" method] [Elektronnyi resurs]. URL: http://www.psychology-online.net/articles/doc-1128.html. (In Russ.)
- Palatina O. M. Kliniko-psikhopatologicheskaya i psikhosotsial’naya kharakteristika patsientov, perenesshikh plasticheskie operatsii [Clinical and psychological characteristics of plastic surgery patients]: dissertation PhD Med. Sci. 2022. 184 p. EDN JXTMMN. (In Russ.)
- Razvalyaeva A. Yu., Pol’skaya N. A. Russkoyazychnaya adaptatsiya metodik «Chuvstvitel’nost’ k otverzheniyu iz-za vneshnosti» i «Strakh negativnoi otsenki vneshnosti» [Validating appearance-based rejection sensitivity and fear of negative appearance evaluation scales in the Russian sample]. Konsul’tativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya [Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy]. 2020; 28(4): 118–143. doi: 10.17759/cpp.2020280407. (In Russ.)
- Skugarevskii O. A., Sivukha S. V. Obraz sobstvennogo tela: razrabotka instrumenta dlya otsenki [Developing a scale to assess body image]. Psikhologicheskii zhurnal [Psychological Journal]. 2006; 10(2): 40. (In Russ.)
- Stolin V. V., Pantileev S. R. Oprosnik samootnosheniya [Self-attitude questionnaire] // Praktikum po psikhodiagnostike: psikhodiagnosticheskie materialy [Workshop on Psychodiagnostics: Psychodiagnostic Materials]. Moscow, 1988. Pp. 123–130. (In Russ.)
- Tarabrina N. V. Praktikum po psikhologii posttravmaticheskogo stressa [Workshop on the Psychology of Posttraumatic Stress]. Sankt-Peterburg: Piter, 2001. 272 p. (In Russ.)
- Ahmed I., Genen L. Psychiatric manifestations of body dysmorphic disorder. Retrieved February. 2011; 15: 2012.
- Bascarane S., Kuppili P. P., Menon V. Psychiatric assessment and management of clients undergoing cosmetic surgery: Overview and need for an integrated approach. Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery. 2021; 54(1): 8–19. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1721868.
- Cash T. F. Cognitive-behavioral perspectives on body image. Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance. 2012; 1: 334–342. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-384925-0.00054-7.
- Cash T. F., Fleming E. C. The impact of body image experiences: Development of the body image quality of life inventory. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2002; 31(4): 455–460. doi: 10.1002/eat.10033.
- Coughlin J. W., Schreyer C. C., Sarwer D. B. [et al.]. Cosmetic surgery in inpatients with eating disorders: Attitudes and experience. Body Image. 2012; 9(1): 180–183. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2011.10.007.
- Derogatis L. R., Lipman R. S., Covi L. SCL-90: An outpatient psychiatric rating scale – preliminary report. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1973; 9(1): 13–28.
- Dingemans A. E., van Rood Y. R., de Groot I. [et al.]. Body dysmorphic disorder in patients with an eating disorder: Prevalence and characteristics. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2012; 45(4): 562–569. doi: 10.1002/eat.20972.
- Fairburn C. G., Cooper Z., Shafran R. Cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders: A “transdiagnostic” theory and treatment. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 2003; 41(5): 509–528. doi: 10.1016/S0005-7967(02)00088-8.
- Gillen M. M., Markey C. H. Body image, weight management behavior, and women’s interest in cosmetic surgery. Psychology, Health & Medicine. 2021; 26(5): 621–630. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2020.1776890.
- Hambleton A., Pepin G., Le A. [et al.]. Psychiatric and medical comorbidities of eating disorders: Findings from a rapid review of the literature. Journal of Eating Disorders. 2022; 10(1): 132. doi: 10.1186/s40337-022-00654-2.
- Jávo I. M., Pettersen G., Rosenvinge J. H. [et al.]. Predicting interest in liposuction among women with eating problems: A population-based study. Body Image. 2012; 9(1): 131–136. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2011.08.002.
- Linardon J., Braithwaite R., Cousins R. [et al.]. Appearance-based rejection sensitivity as a mediator of the relationship between symptoms of social anxiety and disordered eating cognitions and behaviors. Eating Behaviors. 2017; 27: 27–32. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2017.10.003.
- Mond J., Mitchison D., Latner J. [et al.]. Quality of life impairment associated with body dissatisfaction in a general population sample of women. BMC Public Health. 2013; 13: 1–11. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-920.
- Park L. E. Appearance-based rejection sensitivity: Implications for mental and physical health, affect, and motivation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2007; 33(4): 490–504. doi: 10.1177/0146167206296301.
- Sarwer D. B., Wadden T. A., Pertschuk M. J. [et al.]. The psychology of cosmetic surgery: A review and reconceptualization. Clinical Psychology Review. 1998; 18(1): 1–22. doi: 10.1016/S0272-7358(97)00047-0.
- Sarwer D. B., Crerand C. E. Body image and cosmetic medical treatments. Body Image. 2004; 1(1): 99–111. doi: 10.1016/S1740-1445(03)00003-2.
- Stice E., Marti C. N., Durant S. Risk factors for onset of eating disorders: Evidence of multiple risk pathways from an 8-year prospective study. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 2011; 49(10): 622–627. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2011.06.009.
- Willard S. G., McDermott B. E., Woodhouse M. L. Lipoplasty in the bulimic patient. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 1996; 98(2): 276–278. doi: 10.1097/00006534-199608000-00010.
- Zimmer R., Methfessel I., Heiss L. [et al.]. Eating disorders: A neglected group of mental disorders in patients requesting aesthetic surgery. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. 2022; 75(2): 840–849. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2021.09.080.
Supplementary files


