The role of self-objectification, gender role orientation, perfectionism, and reasons for exercise in male body dissatisfaction

This study explored the interrelationships between self-objectification, body dissatisfaction, gender role orientation, perfectionism, and reasons for exercise. A questionnaire assessing each of these constructs was completed by 149 male participants (M = 30.28 years) who exercised regularly. Self-objectification showed positive correlations with appearance management reasons for exercise, negative femininity, and intrapersonal perfectionism. Dimensions of body dissatisfaction showed positive correlations with self-objectification, appearance management reasons for exercise, and intrapersonal perfectionism. Appearance management reasons for exercise were found to mediate the relationship between self-objectification and dissatisfaction with muscularity, but not the relationship between self-objectification and dissatisfaction with leanness. Conversely, health management reasons for exercise were negatively related to both self-objectification and dissatisfaction with overall appearance. Regression analyses showed that appearance management reasons for exercise were the strongest predictor of both self-objectification and dissatisfaction with overall appearance. It was therefore speculated that appearance management exercise represented a negative behavioural consequence of self-objectification, whereas health management exercise could serve as a protective factor against self-objectification and body dissatisfaction

Development and validation of a mental health screening tool for asylum-seekers and refugees: the STAR-MH

Abstract Background There is no screening tool for major depressive disorder (MDD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in asylum-seekers or refugees (ASR) that can be readily administered by non-mental health workers. Hence, we aimed to develop a brief, sensitive and rapidly administrable tool for non-mental health workers to screen for MDD and PTSD in ASR. Methods The screening tool was developed from an extant dataset (n = 121) of multiply screened ASR and tested prospectively (N = 192) against the M.I.N.I. (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) structured psychiatric interview. Rasch, Differential Item Functioning and ROC analyses evaluated the psychometric properties and tool utility. Results A 9-item tool with a median administration time of six minutes was generated, comprising two ‘immediate screen-in’ items, and a 7-item scale. The prevalence of PTSD &/or MDD using the M.I.N.I. was 32%, whilst 99% of other diagnosed mental disorders were comorbid with one or both of these. Using a cut-score of ≥2, the tool provided a sensitivity of 0.93, specificity of 0.75 and predictive accuracy of 80.7%. Conclusions A brief sensitive screening tool with robust psychometric properties that was easy to administer at the agency of first presentation was developed to facilitate mental health referrals for asylum-seekers and new refugees

The Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire: a screening measure for body dysmorphic disorder

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the Dysmorphic Concerns Questionnaire (DCQ) as a screening measure for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and to derive DCQ cutoff scores to facilitate the screening procedure. Method: The DCQ was completed by 244 undergraduates (mean = 20.80, SD = 3.10 years) and 57 BDD outpatients (mean = 29.60, SD = 9.44 years) in Melbourne, Australia. The undergraduate sample was screened for eating disorders using the Eating Attitudes Test-26, and for BDD using the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire. Results: The BDD outpatients obtained significantly higher scores on the DCQ than the undergraduates. This difference remained statistically significant after controlling for the severity of depression and social anxiety symptoms. A DCQ cutoff score of 9 resulted in the correct classification of 96.4% of BDD patients and 90.6% of undergraduates. Conclusions: The results supported the use of the DCQ as a brief, sensitive, and specific screening instrument for BDD

Delusional versus nondelusional body dysmorphic disorder

This study assessed demographic and clinical features in 65 subjects with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and compared the 39 (60%) with the delusional form (receiving an additional diagnosis of delusional disorder, somatic type) with those who did not meet delusionality criteria. Delusional and nondelusional patients did not statistically differ on most demographic and clinical variables. Delusional patients, however, had significantly more severe BDD symptoms at both baseline and follow-up assessments than those of nondelusional patients. Furthermore, poorer insight was significantly associated with more severe BDD symptoms at both baseline and follow-up. Overall improvement in BDD symptom severity was similar for the 2 groups. Our results support other studies in the view that BDD and its delusional variant have more similarities than differences and that the delusional variant may be simply a more severe form of BDD. Implications for the diagnostic classification of BDD and future research directions are discussed

The self in the obsessive compulsive-related disorders: hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder and trichotillomania

Abstract not available

A comparative study of the economic and social functioning of Vietnamese-Australians with low English proficiency living with psychotic illness

Because national surveys of people living with psychotic disorders tend to exclude people with low English proficiency (LEP), little is known of their economic and social functioning. Culturally influenced explanatory models may result in delayed presentation and poorer functioning. The study aimed to compare the functioning of LEP Vietnamese-Australian and Australian-born patients with psychosis and to investigate the Vietnamese-Australians’ pathways to care

Relationship between severity of obesity and mental health: an Australian community survey

IntroductionIn Australia the incidence of obesity is increasing rapidly and has become a significant public health concern. In addition to the many physical consequences of obesity many studies have reported significant mental health consequences, including major depression, mood and anxiety disorders. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between severity of obesity and perceived mental health in an Australian community sample.MethodsA cross-sectional survey design was used. A total of 118 participants, aged between 19 and 75 years with a body mass index (BMI)&thinsp;&ge;&thinsp;30&thinsp;kg/m2 returned a completed questionnaire. The SF-36 Health Survey, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were used.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, gender, perceived social support and physical health quality of life, obesity was not significantly associated with mental health quality of life (SF-36). The strongest factor influencing mental health was perceived physical health. Mediation analyses suggest that physical health mediates the relationship between obesity and mental health quality of life.DiscussionOur findings support the view that physical health mediates the relationship between obesity and mental health. Public health interventions should focus on reducing the impact of obesity on physical health by encouraging participation in healthy lifestyles, which in turn, may improve mental wellbeing.<br /

A comparison of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder:Results from the Second Australian national psychosis survey

Introduction It remains uncertain whether schizoaffective disorder (SAD) is a discrete diagnostic entity, is a variant of either a psychotic mood disorder such as bipolar disorder (BDP) or schizophrenia (SCZ), or exists on a spectral continuum between these disorders. The present study examined whether SCZ, SAD, and BDP differed qualitatively on demographic and clinical variables based on a large Australian dataset