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Objective: This study aims to examine the psychopathology, quality of life perception, eating behaviors and self-image of children and adolescents who are diagnosed with obesity; as well as their parents’ behaviour, coping skills and the relations between these conditions.
Methods: In this study, 30 patients between the ages of 8 –18 who have consulted the University of Akdeniz Pediatric Endocrinology Department and had BMI standard deviation above 2 and had no mental retardation or received no previous psychiatric consultations on the obesity were enrolled. Our control group included 30 healthy children and adolescents who were matching on the same demographic information (gender and age) with the treatment (patient) group, and they had no previous medical or psychiatric illnesses. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version was administered to both groups, and the Rosenberg Self Image Scale was used to determine their self-images. The Quality of Life Scale for Children was administered to the children and adolescents as well as to their parents. To determine the methods of child rearing and coping strategies with stress, parents were administered the Family Life and Child Rearing Demeanours Scale and the Coping Strategies Scale.
Results: There were no significant sociodemographic differences between the two groups except for parents’ educational level and socioeconomic status. As we found no differences on parenting styles and coping strategies, a higher percentage of psychiatric illnesses were detected in our study and the quality of life perception of parents was found lower in the obese group. Self-image scores were not varied between obese children and healthy controls. İt was observed that obese group children’s mother have more likley high obesity rates than the mothers in the control group children.
Conclusions: As a result of this study, psychiatric disorders were observed more frequently in obese children and adolescents. The perception of quality of life for obese children and adolescents seem alike with control groups’ perception. However, the fact that obese children and adolescents’ parents claim that their children’s quality of life is not equal to other groups shows that obese children and adolescents are less aware of health condition and following problems they have and might possible attain in the future.