Impaired parent-reported quality of life in treatment-seeking children with obesity is mediated by high levels of psychopathology.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the current study was to explore psychopathology as a mediator of quality of life (QOL) in children and adolescents with obesity. The notion that psychopathology and QOL are two distinct constructs was also tested.


METHODS
A sample of treatment-seeking children and adolescents with obesity (n = 185, average age = 11.5, mean BMI SDS = 3.03) was matched to a community sample of children (n = 799, average age = 11.5). Both self- and parent-reported measures of QOL (KINDL-R) and psychopathology (CBCL/YSR) was completed.


RESULTS
Parent-reported QOL was impaired, and both self-reported and parent-reported psychopathology was elevated in children and adolescents with obesity. Psychopathology accounted for all the variance of the effect of obesity on parent-reported QOL. The distinction between QOL and psychopathology was supported through confirmatory factor analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Impaired parent-reported QOL in children and adolescents with obesity was attributable to their elevated levels of psychopathology.
Steinsbekk
Silje
S
Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Dragvoll, 7491 Trondheim, Norway. silje.steinsbekk@svt.ntnu.no
Jozefiak
Thomas
T
Ødegård
Rønnaug
R
Wichstrøm
Lars
L
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D030881:Disclosure; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011599:Psychopathology; D011788:Quality of Life