[Psychological features of body integrity identity disorder (BIID): personality traits, interpersonal aspects, coping mechanisms regarding stress and conflicts, body perception].
BACKGROUND
In BIID a disorder of body identity, concerned subjects desire an amputation of a healthy limb. So far, no psychiatric comorbidity was found in the few studies on BIID-subjects.


METHODS
This study explored clinical symptoms, personality characteristics, interpersonal aspects and coping strategies in 15 BIID persons. Psychometric testing on the topics (1) clinical symptoms, (2) personality and interpersonal aspects, (3) coping strategies, (4) attitudes towards the body were used and statistically evaluated with the T-test for one sample.


RESULTS
Some psychopathologies such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) could be excluded although an increased tendency of depressiveness was found. BIID subjects showed specific personality and interpersonal characteristics: high agreeableness, autonomy, autarky and restrained behaviour towards others. Stress and conflicts are managed by self-control and self-affirmation. Their subjective physical attractiveness was low.


CONCLUSIONS
BIID persons do not exhibit psychopathological characteristics (such as anxiety, depression or OCD), but do show specifics in personality, relationships and coping mechanisms. In the future, further personality traits and personality disorders should be investigated to shed more light on the categorisation and treatment of BIID.
Abteilung für Geburtshilfe und Pränatalmedizin, Psychologie in der Geburtshilfe, Universitätsklinik Frankfurt/M.
S
S
Oddo
Klinik für Psychosomatische Medizin, Psychotherapie, Schmerztherapie, Asklepios Westklinikum, Hamburg.
J
J
Möller
Klinik für Innere Medizin, Klinikum Oldenburg.
S
S
Skoruppa
Zentrum für Integrative Psychiatrie, Psychosomatische Medizin und Sexualmedizin, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel.
A
A
Stirn
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D001290:Attitude; D001828:Body Image; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D009105:Dissociative Identity Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007088:Illusions / Q000502:physiology; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D010551:Personality; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*