DSM 5 Lifetime Psychiatric Diagnoses in Two Bariatric Surgery Programs

Patients presenting for bariatric surgery have been shown to have high rates of psychiatric disorders. These studies have utilized structured interviews using older versions of the DSM. This study examined whether similar lifetime frequencies would be similar using the recent DSM-5. Participants (N = 131) were evaluated as part of a longitudinal study examining post-operative weight loss at two sites. Participants were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID5) pre-surgically. Lifetime estimates using the SCID5 were compared to the range and mean of 3 prior US studies and 2 international studies using the DSM-IV. Overall, frequency of psychiatric disorders was similar or lower than prior studies. Changes to diagnostic criteria may explain differences although future studies are needed to better characterize this population.