Ada Borkenhagen

The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder: a population-based survey

BACKGROUND Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a highly distressing and impairing disorder characterized by a preoccupation with imagined or slight physical defects in appearance. Well designed studies on its prevalence and on base rates for diagnostic criteria are rare. Therefore this study aimed to reveal prevalence rates of BDD in the general population and to examine clinical features associated with BDD. METHOD Of 4152 selected participants 2552, aged 14-99 years, participated in this German nationwide survey. Participants were carefully selected to ensure that the sample was representative; they were visited by a study assistant who provided instructions and help if needed. Participation rate was 62.3%. DSM-IV criteria for BDD, as well as subthreshold features (e.g. individuals who consider some part(s) of their body as ugly or disfigured, but do not fulfill all BDD criteria) were examined. We also assessed suicidal ideation associated with the belief of having an ugly body part, as well as the desire for cosmetic surgery. Furthermore, somatization symptoms were assessed. RESULTS The prevalence of current BDD was 1.7% (CI 1.2-2.1%). Individuals with BDD reported higher rates of suicidal ideation (19% v. 3%) and suicide attempts due to appearance concerns (7% v. 1%) than individuals who did not meet criteria for BDD. Somatization scores were also increased in individuals with BDD, relative to those without. BDD was associated with lower financial income, lower rates of living with a partner, and higher rates of unemployment. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that self-reported BDD is relatively common and associated with significant morbidity.

Changes in body image and health-related quality of life following breast reduction surgery in German macromastia patients: a new tool for measuring body image changes.

Health insurance funds in Germany are increasingly reluctant to fund the cost for reduction mammaplasty. However, several studies have already demonstrated the beneficial effects of breast reduction on symptom relief and health-related quality of life. More specifically, the psychologic and social consequences of breast reduction surgery were also recently evaluated. Relating to the contemporary debate on financial restraint, the present article describes a follow-up study conducted in a sample of 40 patients undergoing reduction mammaplasty. The purpose of the investigation was to assess indicators of health-related quality of life following reduction mammaplasty. Furthermore, the study aimed to assess body image changes and to test a new assessment instrument, Digital-Body-Photo-Test (DBPT), in comparison with a well-validated body image measure (Color-a-Person Body Dissatisfaction Test, CAPT) (concurrent validity). As hypothesized, the findings indicate significant improvements in health-related quality-of-life measures and body-image characteristics. The substantial improvement of body-image satisfaction of all body areas suggests a generalized positive effect of reduction mammaplasty on overall body image. The strong association between the DBPT and the CAPT scores in this study indicates that DBPT is an efficient and valid new tool for measuring body-image changes relating to patients’ evaluations of their average satisfaction of specific body parts or areas and their overall appearance acceptance.

On Raising the International Dissemination of German Research: Does Changing Publication Language to English Attract Foreign Authors to Publish in a German Basic Psychology Research Journal?

It has been proposed that German basic psychology journals should change publication language to English in order to facilitate access to research from German-speaking countries. However, to truly increase the dissemination of German research, it seems crucial to progress towards an internationalization of authors and readers. We applied bibliometric analysis to investigate the impact of the transition to English on the rate of foreign authors publishing in Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie/Experimental Psychology, as well as possible associated changes in citation patterns. There was an increase in the rate of articles published by foreign authors from 14.6 and 8.7 per cent, respectively, for the last biannual periods as German-language journal, to 52.7 per cent in the first biannual period as English-language journal. Regarding citations patterns, the clearest changes emerged for domestic authors. The results illustrate possible consequences of a transition to English as publication language, and reveal that Experimental Psychology has successfully established certain prerequisites for an increase of the international dissemination of German psychology research.

What do you know about reproductive medicine?--results of a German representative survey.

Objective The use of reproductive medical treatments has become increasingly routine in recent years. This paper reports on a study of how different aspects of modern reproductive medicine are perceived by the German population. Design Findings from a nationally representative sample of 2110 men and women aged 18 to 50 are presented. Participants responded to a questionnaire seeking self-report information about attitudes and knowledge regarding different aspects of reproductive medicine. Results The majority of respondents had already heard or read something about reproductive medicine; knowledge gaps were prevalent in men and individuals with lower levels of education. The decrease in female fertility usually was underestimated, whereas both the number of involuntarily childless couples and the success rate of reproductive medical treatment were overestimated. One-third of participants would make use of reproductive medicine to have their own child. Conclusion This study revealed inadequacies in the knowledge of the German general population regarding reproductive medicine. Despite the low interest and poor knowledge of the topic, a broad acceptance of reproductive medical methods was reported. The results illustrate the need for adequate information transfer regarding female fertility as well as success rate and risks of reproductive medical interventions.

Differences in the Psychic Representation of the Body in Bulimic and Anorexic Patients: A Study with the Body Grid

Development and use of a new form of a body grid are reported in the present article by means of comparing body perception and its distortions of 32 anorectic patients with a group of 31 bulimic patients. The body grid allows the users to discriminate the degree of body acceptance and the level of integration and dissociation tendencies of single body parts. With the body grid we are able to identify important differences in body image and “body-experience profiles” of bulimic and anorectic patients. Furthermore, with the body grid some insights into the structure of the body image are depicted in the form of a readily accessible graphic figure, making them useful for therapeutic focusing, treatment, and experience, tasks that rarely have been achieved by conventional methods like questionnaires or so-called projective tests.

Die Forderung nach Internationalisierung der deutschen Psychologie am Beispiel der Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie

Zusammenfassung: Ausgehend von der aktuellen Debatte einer Internationalisierung der deutschen Psychologie wurden die letzten beiden Jahrgange der Zeitschrift fur Padagogische Psychologie einer bib...

Body Image, Personality Traits, and Quality of Life in Botulinum Toxin A and Dermal Filler Patients

BackgroundThe demand for minimally invasive cosmetic procedures has continued to rise, especially in Germany, yet few studies have examined this patient population. The literature in Germany has repeatedly voiced the speculation that users of minimally invasive, skin-rejuvenating procedures displayed a higher tendency toward dysmorphic behavior patterns or, respectively, other abnormal personality traits.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate body image, personality traits, quality of life, and socioeconomic parameters in users of botulinum toxin and/or facial fillers.MethodsOne hundred forty-five females presented for botulinum toxin and/or soft tissue filler injections completed demographic and standardized psychometric questionnaires such as the World-Health-Organization Quality of Life-Short Form, Big Five Inventory-10, Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire before treatment.ResultsPatients undergoing injectable aesthetic treatments in an urban dermatology practice were women, middle-aged, highly educated, and mostly employed. Furthermore, participants showed higher quality of life, especially health-related quality of life, and a lower body mass index than controls. Concerning personality traits, our participants scored significantly higher on extraversion, agreeableness, openness to experience, and neuroticism.ConclusionsThis study helps to better understand the psychosocial factors characterizing this patient population. Patients differ from controls by having a higher level of quality of life. No signs of body dysmorphic patterns or problematic personality traits were found.Level of Evidence IVThis journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.