The Relationship between Self-Concept, Cognitive Fusion and Social Well-Being with Body Dysmorphic Disorder among Female Teenagers

Body dysmorphic disorder is a disabling illness with a high worldwide prevalence. The present study aimed at investigating the relationship between self-concept, cognitive fusion and social well-being with body dysmorphic disorder among female teenagers.

Methods and Materials: 

The research method was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population included all female high school students in Damghan during 2018-2019 Of the population, 310 subjects were selected by multi-stage random cluster sampling. Then by using purposive sampling method 110 students were selected as the final sample. In order to collect data, the instruments of self-concept (self-concept scale), cognitive fusion (cognitive fusion scale), social well-being (social well-being scale) and body dysmorphic disorder (body dysmorphic disorder scale) were used. Data analysis was conducted by Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression tests. The data were entered into SPSS software.

The results showed a significant relationship between self-concept (r=-0.55), cognitive fusion (r=0.59) and social well-being (r=-0.62) the body dysmorphic disorder of female teenagers (p<0.05). In addition, the results of multiple regression showed that self-concept (-0.28), cognitive fusion (0.32) and social well-being (-0.39) significantly predict the body dysmorphic disorder of female teenagers (p<0.05).

Female teenagers' body dysmorphic disorder is predictable by the self-concept, cognitive fusion and social well-being. Therefore, it is suggested that psychologists and counselors consider the role of self-concept, cognitive fusion and social well-being to decrease the level of teenagers' body dysmorphic disorder. Also, the researchers conduct further studies on the teenagers' body dysmorphic disorder.