title: Body dysmorphic disorder. A survey of fifty cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) consists of a preoccupation with an 'imagined' defect in appearance which causes significant distress or impairment in functioning. There has been little previous research into BDD. This study replicates a survey from the USA in a UK population and evaluates specific measures of BDD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional interview survey of 50 patients who satisfied DSM-IV criteria for BDD as their primary disorder.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age at onset was late adolescence and a large proportion of patients were either single or divorced. Three-quarters of the sample were female. There was a high degree of comorbidity with the most common additional Axis l diagnosis being either a mood disorder (26%), social phobia (16%) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (6%). Twenty-four per cent had made a suicide attempt in the past. Personality disorders were present in 72% of patients, the most common being paranoid, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BDD patients had a high associated comorbidity and previous suicide attempts. BDD is a chronic handicapping disorder and patients are not being adequately identified or treated by health professionals.
authors.affiliation: Grovelands Priory Hospital, The Bourne, Southgate, London.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Veale
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boocock
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gournay
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dryden
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walburn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001828:Body Image; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012649:Self Concept