Personality profiles of the morbidly obese after vertical banded gastroplasty.

BACKGROUND

The authors attempted to determine if mental status could predict personality profiles, 18 months after surgery in morbidly obese patients.

METHODS

Personality characteristics of 100 morbidly obese patients (85 female, 15 male) were analyzed after bariatric surgery (vertical banded gastroplasty). Patients were given the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCMI-II). Data were compared with a Spanish clinical population to validate the test in our country.

RESULTS

Significant differences were found in Schizoid scale (P<0.0001), Paranoid scale (P<0.001), Histrionic scale (P<0.0001), Compulsive scale (P<0.0001), and Delusional disorder scale (P<0.0001) between the two groups. When psychiatric comorbidity appeared, there were higher values on these scales.

CONCLUSIONS

Morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery show traits and personality disturbances, and the mental state impairs the personality structure.