Gender Differences in Aesthetic Rhinoplasty Patients: A Study on Psychopathological Symptoms

The aim of the current study was to investigate the gender differences in aesthetic rhinoplasty candidates in dimensions of psychopathology. Considering the existing body of literature, it was hypothesized that women would score higher in different dimensions of psychopathology. SCL-90-R was used to evaluate the differences. This instrument consists of 10 subscales which measure depression, anxiety, phobia, hostility, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, somatization, paranoid ideation, psychoticism, and added items of psychopathology. Independent t-test between male patients (n = 19) and female patients (n = 32) was performed. Findings indicated that women had higher scores in four subscales. Women had higher scores in anxiety (P < 0.01), obsessive-compulsive symptoms (P < 0.05), depression (P < 0.05), and added items (P < 0.05). Effect size measures were calculated in order for better interpretation of statistical significance tests. Findings supported the notion that women who applied for aesthetic rhinoplasty showed higher scores of anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and general psychopathological symptoms. Surgeons can utilize validated psychometric instruments in order to screen psychologically disturbed patients as these patients are more likely to show dissatisfaction after the surgery.