Differences in personality, attachment, impulsivity and oxytocin levels between obese patients who decided to undergo bariatric surgery and those who did not prefer surgical treatment

ABSTRACT DIFFERENCES IN PERSONALITY, ATTACHMENT, IMPULSIVITY AND OXYTOCIN LEVELS BETWEEN OBESE PATIENTS WHO DECIDED TO UNDERGO BARIATRIC SURGERY AND THOSE WHO DID NOT PREFER SURGICAL TREATMENT Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 30 kg/m², represents a significant public health challenge in the contemporary era. The etiology of obesity is multifactorial and complex; despite ongoing research yielding new insights, it remains incompletely understood. Bariatric surgery is recognized as a prominent and effective treatment modality for obesity. However, despite its established efficacy, a considerable number of individuals eligible for bariatric surgery opt against this intervention due to a variety of factors. It is hypothesized that these variations in treatment preference are not solely attributable to physiological or medical considerations, but that psychological and personality-based factors may also significantly influence the decision-making process. In this study, a case group comprising 100 patients who presented to the General Surgery Department of Fırat University Hospital seeking bariatric surgery was recruited. A control group was established, consisting of volunteer individuals with obesity who met the inclusion criteria, were sociodemographically matched with the case group, and had no diagnosed psychiatric disorders. All participants were provided with comprehensive information regarding the study protocol, and written informed consent was subsequently obtained from each individual. Following the acquisition of informed consent, all participants completed a sociodemographic data form and a battery of psychometric assessments, including the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Form (EPQ-RSF), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), and the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ). In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that psychological factors, notably personality structure (particularly neuroticism) and impulsivity, may influence the preference for bariatric surgery. Furthermore, attachment styles and oxytocin levels appear to be significant determinants in this decision-making process. This research underscores the intricate relationship between treatment preferences and an individual's psychological background, in addition to physiological factors, thereby offering potential clarification for some of the contradictory findings reported in existing literature. Keywords: Obesity, bariatric surgery, attachment styles, oxytocin, psychosocial assessment, impulsivity, personality