Body dysmorphic disorder: a review of conceptualizations, assessment, and treatment strategies

Increased interest in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) has generated a wealth of recent research. This paper reviews the current literature regarding conceptualizations of the disorder, the development of assessment tools, and treatment outcome. Although BDD has been viewed as a variant of an eating disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, or a somatoform disorder, it appears best conceptualized as a body image disorder with social, psychological, and possibly biological influences. Assessment instruments with acceptable psychometric properties have been developed to specifically assess BDD (e.g., the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination and the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale modified for Body Dysmorphic Disorder). Examination and the initial results from uncontrolled and controlled treatment research suggest that cognitive behavioral treatments for BDD may be as effective as those for possibly related disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder and bulimia nervosa.