title: Overweight/obese patients referring to plastic surgery: temperament and personality traits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Correlations between psychiatric disorders and overweight/obesity are reported in the literature. However, temperament/personality traits have been less frequently studied even though the correlation with Axis-1 diseases is well defined. The present study aims to detect correlations between psychiatric disorders, temperament traits and body image perception in overweight and obese patients who seek surgical lipostructuring treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy overweight/obese patients (age 18-60 years, BMI 25-34.9 at recruitment) referring to the outpatient service for obesity-related lipodystrophism were enrolled in the period March 2008-March 2012. Psychiatric disorders, temperament traits, and body image perception were evaluated and compared with a control group (N = 33) from the general population sharing clinical/demographic features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had higher scores in lifetime depression, with moderate/mild concern with body shape. Regarding personality traits, tests revealed higher scores on subscale RD4 (dependence/independence) in patients, whereas controls scored higher on the "openness to experience" NEO Five Factory Inventory sub-scale. Obese patients had a higher prevalence of obsessive characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The affective sphere is an important feature in obese patients, as are obsessive traits, since negative body shape perception and temperament and personality characteristics appear to be involved in leading patients to seek surgical advice. These aspects should be involved in medical/surgical outcomes and compliance with treatment. The future possibility of identifying patients who show alterations in these traits or psychic characteristics may represent a possible instrument to avoid early post-treatment relapse and to implement the service offered to patients, with appropriate psychiatric care before and after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Clinic, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. chiara.pavan@unipd.it
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pavan
authors.forename: Mariafrancesca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azzi
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lancerotto
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Busetto
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bassetto
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vindigni
mesh_terms: D061645:Abdominoplasty / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D015187:Lipectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D009770:Obsessive Behavior; D018579:Patient Selection; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament