title: Body Dysmorphic Symptoms, Functional Impairment, and Depression: The Role of Appearance-Based Teasing.
abstract: Body dysmorphic disorder is associated with elevated social and occupational impairment and comorbid depression, but research on risk factors for body dysmorphic symptoms and associated outcomes is limited. Appearance-based teasing may be a potential risk factor. To examine the specificity of this factor, the authors assessed self-reported appearance-based teasing, body dysmorphic, and obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, functional impairment (i.e., social, occupational, family impairment), and depression in a nonclinical sample of undergraduates. As hypothesized, appearance-based teasing was positively correlated with body dysmorphic symptoms. The correlation between teasing and body dysmorphic symptoms was stronger than that between teasing and obsessive-compulsive symptom severity. Last, body dysmorphic symptom severity and appearance-based teasing interacted in predicting functional impairment and depression. Specifically, appearance-based teasing was positively associated with depression and functional impairment only in those with elevated body dysmorphic symptoms. When a similar moderation was tested with obsessive-compulsive, in place of body dysmorphic, symptom severity, the interaction was nonsignificant. Findings support theory that appearance-based teasing is a specific risk factor for body dysmorphic symptoms and associated functional impairment.
authors.affiliation: a George Mason University.
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weingarden
authors.affiliation: a George Mason University.
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Renshaw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058445:Bullying / Q000502:physiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: body dysmorphic disorder; bullying; depression; obsessive-compulsive disorder; teasing