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Biomedical subjects

D B Sarwer

Publications and source records attributed to D B Sarwer.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Bigger is not always better: body image dissatisfaction in breast reduction and breast augmentation patients.

This study investigated body image dissatisfaction in breast reduction and breast augmentation patients. Thirty breast reduction and 30 breast augmentation patients completed two body image measures preoperatively. Breast reduction patients reported greater dissatisfaction with their overall body image as compared with breast augmentation patients, part of which can be understood as a function of their increased body weight. When asked specifically about their breasts, reduction patients displayed increased body image dysphoria and maladaptive behavioral change, including embarrassment about their breasts in public areas and social settings and avoidance of physical activity. Results are discussed in the context of ideal body weight cutoffs by third-party payers for reimbursement for breast reduction. Recommendations for reimbursement criteria that de-emphasize the role of body weight are made.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Short- and long-term changes in serum leptin dieting obese women: effects of caloric restriction and weight loss.

This study examined the effects of caloric restriction and weight loss on serum leptin concentrations in 49 obese women who participated in a 40-week weight loss program. During the first 12 weeks, half the subjects were provided a 1000 kcal/day low-calorie diet (LCD), compromised of portion-controlled foods, whereas the other half were prescribed a 1200 kcal/day balanced deficit diet (BDD) consisting of self-selected table foods. Thereafter, subjects in both conditions were instructed to consume approximately 1200-1800 kcal/day of self-selected foods, depending on their desired weight change. During the first 6 weeks, weight and serum leptin fell significantly more (P < 0.05) in women in the LCD condition than in the BDD condition. In the former group, the 55% reduction in baseline leptin was 10 times greater than the relative reduction in body weight. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that degree of caloric restriction, but not weight loss, contribution significantly to the variance in the change in leptin at week 6. By contrast, long-term changes in leptin, when subjects had increased their calorie intake, were more strongly related to changes in weight and fat. At week 40, for example, weight loss account for 47% of the variance in the change in leptin. Serum leptin and body fat remained highly correlated after weight loss (r = 0.79, P < 0.001), as before (r = 0.66, P < 0.001). After treatment, however, we observed a greater-than-expected reduction in serum leptin concentrations, as expressed per kilogram of body fat. The significance of this finding remains to be determined.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1997

Psychological effects of weight cycling in obese persons: a review and research agenda.

This review summarizes studies on the psychological effects of weight cycling (i.e., weight loss and regain) in obese persons and proposes an agenda for future research on this topic. Among general psychological constructs, the current literature suggests that weight cycling is not associated with depression, other psychopathology, or depressogenic cognitive styles. Weight cycling is associated with decreased perceptions of health and well-being, although the clinical significance of this relationship is uncertain. Among weight- and eating-related constructs, weight cycling does not appear to be related to restraint, hunger, or personality traits associated with eating disorders. Weight cycling, however, does appear to be associated with clinically significant reductions in eating self-efficacy and weak but consistent increases in binge eating severity. Definitive conclusions about the presence or absence of the psychological consequences of weight cycling are premature, given the small number of studies, as well as a variety of methodological and interpretive concerns. A new generation of research is necessary to determine the extent and nature of the psychological sequelae of weight cycling.

Eating↗
PubMed1997

The relationship between childhood sexual abuse and adult male sexual dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and adult sexual dysfunction in men. In addition, the investigation compared sexually abused men and women on the characteristics of the sexual abuse. METHOD: Subjects were 359 men who sought sexual dysfunction treatment. Thirty men reported a history of sexual abuse. Characteristics of the sexual abuse experienced by these men also were compared to the sexual abuse experienced by 73 women initially investigated elsewhere (Sarwer & Durlak 1996). RESULTS: Sexual abuse was not found to predict sexual dysfunction in these men. Rather, unemployment served as the only significant predictor of male sexual dysfunction. Comparisons of the sexual abuse reported by male and female victims indicated that males were more likely to experience physical force, but were less likely than female victims to be abused more than once and to be abused by an adult. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the notion that childhood sexual abuse may not be as disruptive to adult sexual functioning in men as it is in women. This difference may be a function of the specific circumstances of the sexual abuse. Suggestions for future research on male sexual abuse are provided.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A field trial of the effectiveness of behavioral treatment for sexual dysfunctions.

The present study was a field trial of behavioral sex therapy for 365 married couples presenting with a range of sexual dysfunctions. Treatment occurred at an outpatient sexual dysfunction clinic of a large medical center using a multidisciplinary staff. Findings supported the external validity of behavioral sex therapy. The success rate for the total sample (65%) was comparable to that of previous investigations, and there were very few dropouts (1.6%) from treatment. In addition, outcomes did not vary significantly as a function of diagnoses, gender, or a history of sexual abuse. The amount of sensate focus completed in the last week of treatment was the strongest predictor of successful treatment. For some diagnoses, however, couple comorbidity reduced treatment success. Results indicated that behavioral sex therapy is effective in real-world clinical settings.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The "obsessive" cosmetic surgery patient: a consideration of body image dissatisfaction and body dysmorphic disorder.

"Obsessive" cosmetic surgery patients often present as "hyper-focused" on their appearance. We may best be able to understand these patients through examining their thoughts and feelings about their body image. This paper reviews the relationship between physical appearance, body image dissatisfaction, and the pursuit of cosmetic surgery. An extreme form of body image dissatisfaction, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), which may characterize many "obsessive" patients, is also discussed. Recommendations for assessing patients' body image concerns include a comprehensive history as well as specific questions about appearance-related concerns.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Childhood sexual abuse as a predictor of adult female sexual dysfunction: a study of couples seeking sex therapy.

The present study investigated 359 married adult women who sought sex therapy with their spouses. Discriminant function analyses indicated that childhood sexual abuse plus a college education significantly discriminated between women with and without a diagnosed sexual dysfunction. Among abused women, abuse involving sexual penetration significantly discriminated between dysfunctional and nondysfunctional women. Current findings confirm previous theory and research regarding a connection between childhood sexual abuse and adult female dysfunction. Furthermore, the findings suggest that abuse involving sexual penetration is specifically associated with adult sexual dysfunction. Between 75% to 94% of women with a sexual dysfunction could be accurately identified on the basis of prior abuse, but many nondysfunctional women were misclassified. Future research should examine additional variables that may contribute to sexual dysfunction such as levels of anxiety and depression, as well as features of the marital relationship such as marital satisfaction and communication skills.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Sexual aggression and love styles: an exploratory study.

The relationship between sexual aggression and theoretical love styles was studied. Based on self-reported sexual history, 63 college men were grouped as having either consensual sexual experience only (n = 33) or having verbally coercive sexual experience (n = 30). Analyses were conducted using six love style scales, likelihood to rape, likelihood to use sexual force, masculinity, and sociopathy to predict sexual coercive group membership. Logistic regression indicated that the Ludus love style, a manipulative, game-playing orientation towards intimate relationships, was the best predictor of sexual coercion among the six love styles. Additionally, logistic regression indicated that the Ludus love style was as effective in classifying men as coercive or noncoercive as other dispositions related to sexual aggression. These results suggest that the Ludus love style may serve as a unifying construct for dispositions related to sexual aggression. This study constitutes an initial attempt to link sexually coercive behaviors to a theoretical model of intimate relationships. Results are discussed in the context of a situational model of sexual coercion.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Earvin "Magic" Johnson's HIV serostatus disclosure: effects on men's perceptions of AIDS.

The effects of celebrity self-disclosure of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity on perceptions of HIV and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) were investigated. AIDS-related interest and knowledge measures were collected from 468 men before and after basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson's self-disclosure of HIV seropositivity. Increased interest in AIDS paralleled media coverage of the announcement, with the most substantial effects occurring within 2 weeks. Perceived impact of the disclosure was greatest among African-American men and men who had not previously known someone with HIV-AIDS. Celebrity self-disclosure appears to affect perceptions through mechanisms similar to those involved in personally knowing someone infected with HIV.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Obese women's perceptions of their physicians' weight management attitudes and practices.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Primary care physicians will see increasing numbers of patients with long-term weight management problems. OBJECTIVE: To examine obese women's perceptions of their physicians' weight management attitudes and practices. DESIGN AND SETTING: Women who participated in obesity trials at a university clinic completed a questionnaire that assessed their views of weight control provided by their primary care physician. PARTICIPANTS: The patients were 259 women whose age was 44.0 +/- 10.0 years; weight, 96.7 +/- 13.2 kg; and body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters), 35.2 +/- 4.5 (all data given as mean +/- SD). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Using 7-point scales (1 indicates low; and 7, high), patients rated their satisfaction with care provided for their general health and that for their obesity. They also identified methods their physician recommended for weight management and the frequency of negative interactions with their physician concerning weight control. RESULTS: Participants were generally satisfied with the care they received for their general health and with their physicians' medical expertise (mean scores, 6. 1 and 6.2, respectively). They were significantly (P<.001) less satisfied with care for their obesity and with their physicians' expertise in this area (mean scores, 4.1 and 4.3, respectively). Almost 50% reported that their physician had not recommended any of 10 common weight loss methods, and 75% indicated they looked to their physician a "slight amount" or "not at all" for help with weight control. Only a small minority of patients (0.4%-8.0%) reported frequent, negative interactions with physicians concerning their weight. CONCLUSIONS: The last finding helps allay concerns that obese patients are routinely treated disrespectfully by physicians when discussing weight. The challenge, however, for primary care physicians appears to be providing patients better assistance with weight management.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Body image dissatisfaction in male cosmetic surgery patients.

This study was the first empirical investigation of body image dissatisfaction in male cosmetic surgery patients. Thirty men completed two body image measures prior to their initial consultation. Results were compared to the norms for each of the measures and with a sample of 30 women seeking similar cosmetic procedures. Results indicated that patients did not demonstrate greater dissatisfaction with their overall appearance than men in a normative sample. However, when asked about the bodily feature they were considering for surgery, they reported significantly greater levels of dissatisfaction than the normative sample. As compared to male patients, female patients reported a greater investment in their physical appearance. Implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the nature of body image dissatisfaction and the relevance of body image in the psychology of male plastic surgery patients.

Adult↗