Shenakht Journal of Psychology & Psychiatry

Introduction: Body dysmorphic disorder occurs when an individual experiences significant distress about a minor or perceived physical flaw.
Objective: The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder among middle and high school students in Sanandaj city.
Method: The present study was descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional in nature. The statistical population consisted of all 12 to 18-year-old middle and high school students in Sanandaj city during the 2021-2022 academic year. A total of 640 students were selected using cluster random sampling method. The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) for body dysmorphic disorder (Phillips et al., 1997) was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. SPSS version 21 was used for data analysis.
Results: The results showed that 169 students (26.4%) had body dysmorphic disorder. The average score of body dysmorphic disorder in boys was 13.17, and in girls, it was 18.19. The average score in students with a history of cosmetic surgery was 19.04, compared to 17.41 in those without cosmetic surgery. The results also showed that there was a significant statistical correlation between body dysmorphic disorder scores and both gender and cosmetic surgery history (p<0.05).
Conclusion: This study revealed that a significant percentage of middle and high school students in Sanandaj suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, and this disorder is significantly related to gender and cosmetic surgery history. Given the relative prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder among adolescents, it is essential to implement educational and counseling programs in schools to raise awareness and prevent this disorder.