Perceived Appearance-Related Teasing in Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Population-Based Survey

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by perceived defects in one's physical appearance (e.g., facial asymmetry). Cognitive-behavioral models of BDD suggest that several factors, including negative appearance-related beliefs and life experiences, such as teasing, might be related to BDD's unique symptomatology Research on perceived teasing in BDD is still limited, and the relationships previously found have been based on small sample sizes. In the current study, we investigated perceived appearance-related teasing in the German population (total N = 2,510; BDD group: n = 45; age and gender-matched non-BDD group: n = 45). As expected, the BDD group reported significantly more teasing than did the non-BDD group (40.0% vs 15.6%). Whereas no group difference was obtained regarding the years of age at the first teasing incident, the BDD group remembered the teasing experience more vividly (p =.008) and as more traumatic (p =.002). This study provides further evidence for perceived teasing in BDD.