The prevalence and clinical features of body dysmorphic disorder in college students:: A study in a Turkish sample

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) consists of a preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance, which causes significant distress or impairment in functioning. There has been little previous research about the prevalence and clinical features of BDD in different cultures. This study aimed to find the rate and the clinical features of BDD among 420 female college students in Turkey. A self-report questionnaire was used to determine the subjects' body disatisfactions and compulsive behaviors. BDD was diagnosed using DSM-IV criteria. In this study, 43.8% of the subjects were dissatisfied with their appearance and 4.8% of all subjects were diagnosed with BDD. Head/face area and hips were the most common areas of concern. The results of this study suggested that body dissatisfaction and BDD among Turkish college students are not rare. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.