title: The relationship between perceived social support and severity of body dysmorphic disorder symptoms: the role of gender.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Whether social support is associated with severity of body dysmorphic symptoms is unknown. To address this gap in the literature, the present study aims to examine the association between three domains of perceived social support (i.e., family, friends, and significant others) and severity of body dysmorphic disorder symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N = 400) with symptoms consistent with diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder completed measures of symptomatology and social support via the internet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More perceived social support from friends and significant others was associated with less severe body dysmorphic disorder symptoms for males, and more perceived social support from family and friends was associated with less severe body dysmorphic disorder symptoms among females. Additionally, gender moderated the association between perceived social support from significant others and symptom severity, such that perceived social support from a significant other was significantly negatively associated with body dysmorphic symptom severity in males, but not females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study implicates social support as an important area of future body dysmorphic disorder research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. lmarques@partners.org
authors.forename: Luana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Hilary M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Weingarden
authors.forename: Nicole J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.forename: Jedidiah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siev
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult